Salted Caramel Bars

Salt + sweet make the perfect combo if paired correctly.  And this rings especially true in these salted caramel bars. They're gooey and incredibly delicious!  My only complaint is that I probably needed to add a bit more salt.  I typically err on the side of less is more when it comes to salt, but for these bars, the right balance is key.  Also, who knew making homemade caramel sauce is so easy?! Check out the recipe and I do hope you you'll try it out!  Stay blessed friends!

For the crust:

-16 tablespoons unsalted butter
-1/2 cup granulated sugar
-1 tablespoon vanilla extract
-2 cups all purpose flour
Set the oven to 325 degrees.  Grease an 8 x 8 inch baking pan and set aside.  Beat the butter and sugar together until it turns a pale yellow.  Add in the vanilla extract and beat for another minute or so.  Finally add the flour a bit at a time and mix until combined.  Knead and form the dough into two balls.  Wrap one ball in Saran wrap and place in the fridge.  Take the remaining ball and spread it evenly onto the greased pan.  Bake the crust for about 20 minutes and then when golden brown, set it aside to cool.  

Caramel Sauce:

-1 cup granulated sugar
-6-7 tablespoons unsalted butter (cut this up into cubes)
-1/2 cup heavy cream
-1 teaspoon salt
Heat the granulated sugar in a sauce pan (medium heat).  It will become clumpy at first and will slowly turn a deep brown color as it starts to melt.  Once melted, slowly add in the cubed butter and stir.  Next add in the heavy cream and salt and stir until combined.  Set aside too cool.  Once cooled, the caramel sauce will become thick and rich!

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Putting it all together:

Once the crust has cooled, Pour the cooled caramel on top to your desired liking.  The more caramel, the more it will ooze.  Now here is where I recommend sprinkling just a bit more salt on top of the caramel to give it the perfect balance.  Take the dough that has been chilling in the fridge and crumble it over on top of the caramel.  Bake at 325 degrees for about 28-30 minutes.  Let it cool and then cut into squares.  Enjoy!

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