APPLE CARAMEL CRUMB BARS

Apple Caramel Crumb Bars image

Closest to the famous coffee chain's version I've ever tasted, mmmmm good. These are really good and worth the extra time to make.

Provided by Diane Renwick

Categories Desserts Fruit Dessert Recipes Apple Dessert Recipes

Time 3h24m

Yield 48

Number Of Ingredients 22

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Ingredients

½ cup light cream
½ cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon whiskey
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
⅓ cup white sugar
2 teaspoons orange zest
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup cold butter, cut into small pieces
1 egg white, lightly beaten
10 cups peeled, sliced baking apples
¼ cup apple juice
¼ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup white sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons apple pie spice
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
⅓ cup white sugar
½ cup cold butter, cut into small pieces
½ cup chopped walnuts

Steps:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Combine cream, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 3 tablespoons butter, and 3 tablespoons white sugar in a small, heavy saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until sugars dissolve, 2 to 3 minutes. Bring sauce to a simmer, stirring frequently. Cook until slightly thickened, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in whiskey.
Combine 1 3/4 cups flour, 1/3 cup white sugar, 2 teaspoons orange zest, and salt in a food processor; pulse to briefly combine. Scatter 3/4 cup butter pieces over the flour mixture and process until dough starts clumping together.
Press dough over the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking pan. Brush egg white over dough.
Bake in the preheated oven until lightly golden, about 18 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
Combine apples, apple juice, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup white sugar, lemon juice, and apple pie spice in a large skillet. Bring to a boil; cook, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens and looks dry, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Stir in 1 tablespoon orange zest.
Place 1 1/4 cups flour and 1/3 cup white sugar in a food processor; pulse briefly to combine. Scatter 1/2 cup butter pieces and walnuts over flour mixture. Process until topping mixture starts to clump together. Pour into a bowl. Squeeze topping mixture with your fingertips to form clumps the size of peas.
Spread cooled filling evenly over dough. Drizzle 1/2 the caramel sauce on top. Sprinkle topping evenly over caramel.
Bake in the preheated oven until edges are light golden, about 35 minutes. Place pan on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Drizzle remaining caramel sauce on top. Let cool completely, about 15 minutes. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Cut into bars.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 129.8 calories, Carbohydrate 17.6 g, Cholesterol 14.6 mg, Fat 6.4 g, Fiber 0.9 g, Protein 1.2 g, SaturatedFat 3.6 g, Sodium 66 mg, Sugar 10.5 g