Recipes: Maple Bourbon Blondie Bars

• Prep Time:20 minutes
• Cook Time:25 minutes
• Serves:16

 

Tagged:
bacon, bars, blondie, bourbon, caramel, chocolate, christmas, cookies, dessert, ganache, holiday, maple, pecan,

Rich gooey blondie bars layered with chocolate chunks, salty-sweet maple candied bacon and indulgent bourbon caramel ganache--these fabulous bars have it all!

This recipe is part of our Countdown to Cookies for the 2015 holiday season.

 

Foodie Byte

For easy slicing, line your baking pans with foil-sprayed with cooking spray before filling. Simply lift up on the foil and the entire pan of cooled blondie bars come out of the pan. Carefully remove foil and slice bars into 16 portions.

Ingredients

Maple Candied Bacon Topping:
1/2 cup bacon, diced, cooked crisp
1/4 cup pecan pieces
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon maple syrup
Blondie Bars:
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg yolk
1 egg
2 teaspoons maple extract
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. each baking soda and salt
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
Bourbon Caramel Ganache Filling:
1 1/2 cups caramel baking chunks
2 1/2 tablespoon heavy cream
1 tablespoon bourbon

Preparation

Maple Candied Bacon Topping:
Combine crisp bacon, pecan pieces, brown sugar and maple syrup in small nonstick skillet; heat over low heat until sugar has melted and bacon and pecans are lightly glazed, stirring frequently. Reserve.
Bourbon Caramel Ganache Filling:
Combine caramel baking chips, cream and bourbon in a microwave-safe measuring cup; microwave in 20 second increments, stirring frequently, until smooth and creamy. Reserve.
Blondie Bars:
Preheat oven to 325°.
Cream butter, sugar and brown sugar in mixer on medium speed; add egg, egg yolk and maple extract; blend on medium speed until smooth.
Combine flour, baking soda and salt in bowl and stir to blend; slowly add to butter mixture on low speed until just combined.
Add chocolate chunks and stir to blend.
Spread half of the dough in a 9-inch x 9-inch oiled pan.
Pour reserved bourbon caramel ganache filling evenly over the top.
Cool until caramel is slightly firm to the touch.
Top with remaining half of dough.
Bake for 20 minutes; remove from oven and top with reserved maple candied bacon topping.
Bake an additional 5 to 7 minutes or until golden.
Cool; slice into 16 bars.

source FoodChannel http://ift.tt/1ZeJWYT