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Cookie Bar - Almond Roca Cookie Bars

Posted: 23 May 2019, 05:27
by Chowhound
AlmondRocaCookieBar.jpg
Dough:
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1½ cups granulated sugar
½ cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons almond extract
Caramel:
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 cups light brown sugar
½ cup light corn syrup
1½ cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
To finish:
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
¾ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1½ cups chopped toasted almonds
flaky sea salt, to garnish

The dough:
Line the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch metal pan with parchment paper. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Mix in the eggs and almond extract.Stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture until well combined, scraping down the sides as needed. Let chill for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Use your fingers to press the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake the dough until golden brown, about 25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time. Transfer the pan to a rack and let cool completely. To make the caramel: Combine the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, cream and salt in a medium, heavy-bottomed pan. Over medium-high heat, cook, swirling the pan occasionally, until the caramel reaches 240 to 242 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Let the caramel cool slightly, then pour over the cooled cookie dough. Let the caramel set at room temperature before proceeding, about 1 hour. To finish: Place the chocolate in a large bowl. In a small heavy saucepan, bring cream and butter just to a simmer. Turn off the heat and pour over the chocolate. Let rest until melted, then use an immersion mixer to blend until the ingredients are emulsified. Pour the melted chocolate over the caramel. Sprinkle with the almonds and sea salt. Let sit at room temperature at least 1 hour, or until set. Remove from the pan and slice into 1½-inch squares.