Tuesday, February 24, 2009

TWD: Caramel Crunch Bars

These Caramel Crunch Bars are like the Clark Kent of baked goods. Mild in manner, mundane in appearance, but put them in a telephone booth...okay, the analogy kind of breaks down after awhile. But my point remains: these simple little bars are spectacular.
From the description and procedure, I was expecting these to be kind of like a bar cookie. Instead, they seemed almost like a candy, like that saltine toffee you make where you pour boiled butter and sugar over crackers and then bake it. They had that same crunch, and the same caramelized brown sugar and butter flavor. Only better, because they also had chocolate and cinnamon and toffee (oh my).
I made a half batch to save our waistlines, and half of me--the half ruled by my taste buds--regretted it, while the other half--that doesn't want to buy a new, larger wardrobe--was profoundly grateful. This was one of those baked goods that I could have easily eaten in a day. Break off a corner here or there, have some while making dinner...gone in a flash! So addicting.
These were awesome by themselves, but they were absolutely outrageous when used to make ice cream sandwiches. I paired them with a homemade salted butter caramel ice cream. The caramels blended perfectly, and the salt in the ice cream helped balance out the sweetness. The ice cream had chunks of salted butter toffee folded into it, to add more crunch and texture. [Stay tuned, ice cream recipe coming later this week in another post.]
Well played, Clark Kent Bars. Well played indeed.

23 comments:

  1. The bars look great on their own . . . but with the ice cream they look absolutely sensational! I can't wait to read the ice cream post because it looks and sounds so delicious.

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  2. The melting ice cream is making me melt! These look SO good!

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  3. Anonymous6:45 AM

    I paired mine with salted butter caramel ice cream, too! These were so delicious.

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  4. Man do your ice cream sandwiches look good! I love your description. Unassuming Clark Kent bars pack hidden punch! How perfect! Now I only wish that I could try one.

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  5. Anonymous6:57 AM

    Oh that last photo is to DIE for! Clark Kent Bars they will now forever be called!

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  6. Homemade salted caramel ice cream.

    What's your address? I'll be there for supper!`

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  7. I'm with you on that one, Liz... those were the super duper of caramel bars!

    ...and they must have been totaly delish with ice cream, as you prepared! Niiiiiiice!

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  8. Super cookies that could hold up mountains and stop the flood. That is what these could do. They look wonderful with the melting ice cream. And with out it for that matter.

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  9. Your cookies came out great!
    I brought mine to work to share to save my waist line also!

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  10. Those look fabulous! Mine were more chewy than crunchy. Hmmmm.

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  11. Anonymous11:55 AM

    These look so good! That ice cream is amazing!

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  12. Anonymous1:45 PM

    Yes, I agree they were even better with ice cream.

    I'm going to have to try this salted butter caramel ice cream. It keeps popping up all over the place (for good reasons obviously).

    Your bars look awesome.

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  13. Anonymous3:36 PM

    That ice cream is inspired. I simply must try that, so I'm looking forward to the ice cream post!

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  14. Anonymous5:18 PM

    i loved these as ice cream sandwiches. salted butter caramel ice cream... yes please! you made me laugh with the "okay, the analogy kind of breaks down after awhile"... :) but i hear ya on the clark kent thing.

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  15. OK, aside from the fact that your bars look delicious, I am completely and totally fascinated by this "Saltine Toffee" recipe which I have never heard of and which sounds really delicious!

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  16. My waistline is a little suspicious of ice cream, but my eyes are saying that combination looks mighty fine. The whole time I was making these I was wondering how they compared to the saltine version (which I've seen but ever eaten). Glad you answered that question.
    Nancy

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  17. Anonymous12:41 PM

    Those look really good. Love the ice cream idea!

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  18. They look delicious! I made salted caramel ice cream, too, but my bars were too thick for sandwiches.

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  19. so yummy! these look wonderful! i love the ice cream sandwich!

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  20. Anonymous7:36 AM

    Salted caramel ice cream in between these, does sound outrageous!

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  21. these bars are so yuumy Liz where I can find the recipe, because they are calling me
    thanks

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  22. They do look like candy! If you are gonna put them in a phone booth can you tell me in witch one? I would go there and pick them all up!

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  23. Anonymous11:16 AM

    Can definitely see where the crunch part comes from. I don't think I'd choose to make a half batch Bring it on (along with the treadmill).

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