Shelly's Recipe

CARAMEL TOFFEE LATTE BARS

Category: Bars

1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tsp plus 1 tbsp instant•espresso coffee powder (divided use, see notes)
1 1/4 cups plus 2 tbsp flour (divided use)
1/2 cup raw ground almonds (unsalted)
1 1/4 cups toffee bits (divided use, see notes)
2 tsp hot water
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
3 eggs
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup finely chopped raw almonds (unsalted)

Preheat oven to 325. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch cake pan.

For crust: In a bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter, brown sugar and 2 tsp espresso powder until light and creamy. Add 1 1/4 cups flour and ground almonds and mix on low speed until thoroughly blended. Press into prepared pan. Sprinkle 3/4 cup toffee bits evenly over crust, press in lightly. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove pan from oven.

Dissolve remaining 1 tbsp espresso powder in hot water. In a large bowl, whisk sugar, dissolved espresso powder, sweetened condensed milk and eggs until smooth. Add remaining 2 tbsp flour and baking powder and mix well. Pour evenly over baked crust. Return to oven and bake 20 minutes.

Remove pan from oven and sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup toffee bits and chopped almonds evenly over top and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes until topping is golden. If topping is still not golden, turn off oven, set broiler on low, and return pan to oven on lowest rack for up to 4 minutes. Check topping once per minute to make sure it doesn't burn. Remove from oven. Let cool completely in pan on cooling rack. Cut into bars. Makes 32 bars.

Note: If you can not find it, use regular instant coffee but double the amount called for.