Salted Caramel Apple Bars
A tart apple bar filled with sweet, salty caramel and peanuts in every bite. A delicious take on the classic caramel apple.
Servings 9
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust
- 1/2 cup vegan butter, melted
- 1/4 cup cane sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 cup all purpose flour
Apple Filling
- 2 large organic Granny Smith apples, cut into 1/2" chunks
- 1/4 cup salted caramel
Peanut Streusel
- 1/4 cup unsalted peanuts, chopped
- 1/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup vegan butter, cold + cubed
Salted Caramel
- 1 cup cane sugar
- 6 TBS vegan butter
- 1/2 cup coconut cream
- 1 tsp sea salt
Garnish with Salted Caramel and chopped Peanuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F
- Line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper that overhangs on each side. This will make it easy to lift the bars out of the pan.
- Start the Salted Caramel: Measure all ingredients before starting, as things will move quickly and it's important to keep a watchful eye on the stove. Keep a heat proof spatula and whisk handy. Add the cane sugar to a heavy bottom saucepan at med-low heat. Try not to stir, but swirl the sugar. It's important to not get any sugar crystals stuck to the sides of the pan. Using a spatula can get into the corners of the pan. Once it's starting to turn an amber brown, start adding in the butter whisking quickly. Be careful, it will start to bubble up a bit. Whisk for 2 minutes. If it seems like its separating, keep whisking. It will come back together. Then slowly add the coconut cream and let it low boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and add the sea salt. Set aside to cool at room temp.
- Prepare the shortbread crust: Whisk together the sugar, salt, and flour into a medium bowl. Add the melted vegan butter and vanilla extract and combine until just comes together. Press evenly into the prepared 8x8 pan. Bake for 20 min.
- Meanwhile, prepare the apples and streusel. Cut the apples into 1/2" chunks and toss with 1/4 cup salted caramel. Set aside.
- For the peanut streusel: In a medium bowl combine the oats, chopped peanuts, brown sugar and flour. Cut in vegan butter with a fork or use your hands until you get some walnut size crumbles. Lightly squeeze mixture together to form the crumbly streusel -- don't go too far, you don't want to melt the butter or blend it in.
- After the shortbread crust comes out of the oven. Crank it up the 350°F. Now it's time for assembly! Spread the salted caramel apple chunks evenly over the crust. Then cover the apples with the peanut streusel, leaving the larger clumps together. It all goes back into the oven for 30-35 min.
- Cool bars at room temp for 30 min. Then chill in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours. Use the parchment to lift bars out of the baking pan to make cutting easier. Cut into 9 large squares or 16 minis. Drizzle GENEROUSLY with salted caramel and chopped peanuts.