Turtle Bars
By Jessica RudolphPublished on October 15, 2019
Time
1¼ hours, plus 3 hours cooling
Yield
Makes 24 bars
Ingredients
Crust
1 ⅔ cups (8⅓ ounces/236 grams) all-purpose flour ½ cup (3½ ounces/99 grams) granulated sugar ⅓ cup (1 ounce/28 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder ¾ teaspoon table salt 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, meltedTopping
1 (13.4 ounces/380 grams) can dulce de leche 1 cup packed (7 ounces/198 grams) light brown sugar ½ cup heavy cream ½ cup light corn syrup 8 tablespoons unsalted butter ½ teaspoon table salt 2 cups coarsely chopped pecans, toasted, divided1 cup (6 ounces/170 grams) semisweet chocolate chips ½ teaspoon flake sea saltBefore You Begin
Dulce de leche, a thick, caramel-like sauce, can be found in the international or baking aisle of most supermarkets. If you can't find it, you can substitute one 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk, but the topping's caramel flavor won't be as strong. For a caramel topping with the right texture, monitor the temperature with an instant-read thermometer as it cooks; it is essential to bring the mixture to between 235 and 240 degrees in step 4 for the caramel to set up properly. If you're using an electric stove, the mixture will likely take longer than 11 minutes to reach 235 degrees once it starts to boil. Using a large heavy-bottomed saucepan and stirring frequently will help ensure that the caramel doesn't scorch.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Make foil sling for 13 by 9-inch baking pan by folding 2 long sheets of aluminum foil; first sheet should be 13 inches wide and second sheet should be 9 inches wide. Lay sheets of foil in pan perpendicular to each other, with extra foil hanging over edges of pan. Push foil into corners and up sides of pan, smoothing foil flush to pan. Spray foil with vegetable oil spray.
- Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, and salt in bowl. Add melted butter and stir with rubber spatula until evenly moistened. Crumble dough over bottom of prepared pan. Press dough to even thickness using bottom of dry measuring cup. Using fork, poke dough all over, about 20 times. Bake until crust is fragrant and looks dry, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer pan to wire rack. (Crust needn't cool completely before adding topping.)
- Combine dulce de leche, sugar, cream, corn syrup, butter, and table salt in large heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat, 7 to 9 minutes, stirring frequently with rubber spatula.
- Once boiling, continue to cook, stirring frequently to prevent scorching, until mixture registers between 235 and 240 degrees in several places, 9 to 11 minutes longer. (Mixture will be thick and bubbling vigorously.) Off heat, stir in 1½ cups pecans. Pour caramel mixture over crust and spread to even thickness. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and let sit until chocolate chips have softened, about 5 minutes.
- Swirl softened chocolate chips through caramel mixture using butter knife. Sprinkle with remaining ½ cup pecans and flake sea salt. Let bars sit at room temperature until chocolate is set, at least 3 hours.
- Using foil overhang, lift bars out of pan. (Caramel may stick to foil. Use paring knife to separate, if necessary.) Cut into 24 pieces (5 cuts by 3 cuts) and serve. (Bars can be stored in airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.)
for the crust
for the topping
Time
1¼ hours, plus 3 hours coolingYield
Makes 24 barsIngredients
Crust
Topping
Ingredients
Crust
Topping
Ingredients
Crust
Topping
Why This Recipe Works
Taking inspiration from the classic candy shop confection, we reimagined those clusters of pecans, caramel, and chocolate as a layered bar cookie. We used an easy chocolate shortbread crust as the base, since its crunchy texture supported and contrasted the rich caramel. For a caramel layer with soft, sliceable chew, we cooked down dulce de leche (a Latin American caramel), butter, brown sugar, cream, and corn syrup, and then stirred in chopped toasted pecans. We finished the bars with some chocolate chips swirled into the still-warm caramel, another handful of pecans, and a sprinkle of flake sea salt.
Before You Begin
Dulce de leche, a thick, caramel-like sauce, can be found in the international or baking aisle of most supermarkets. If you can't find it, you can substitute one 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk, but the topping's caramel flavor won't be as strong. For a caramel topping with the right texture, monitor the temperature with an instant-read thermometer as it cooks; it is essential to bring the mixture to between 235 and 240 degrees in step 4 for the caramel to set up properly. If you're using an electric stove, the mixture will likely take longer than 11 minutes to reach 235 degrees once it starts to boil. Using a large heavy-bottomed saucepan and stirring frequently will help ensure that the caramel doesn't scorch.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Make foil sling for 13 by 9-inch baking pan by folding 2 long sheets of aluminum foil; first sheet should be 13 inches wide and second sheet should be 9 inches wide. Lay sheets of foil in pan perpendicular to each other, with extra foil hanging over edges of pan. Push foil into corners and up sides of pan, smoothing foil flush to pan. Spray foil with vegetable oil spray.
- Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, and salt in bowl. Add melted butter and stir with rubber spatula until evenly moistened. Crumble dough over bottom of prepared pan. Press dough to even thickness using bottom of dry measuring cup. Using fork, poke dough all over, about 20 times. Bake until crust is fragrant and looks dry, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer pan to wire rack. (Crust needn't cool completely before adding topping.)
- Combine dulce de leche, sugar, cream, corn syrup, butter, and table salt in large heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat, 7 to 9 minutes, stirring frequently with rubber spatula.
- Once boiling, continue to cook, stirring frequently to prevent scorching, until mixture registers between 235 and 240 degrees in several places, 9 to 11 minutes longer. (Mixture will be thick and bubbling vigorously.) Off heat, stir in 1½ cups pecans. Pour caramel mixture over crust and spread to even thickness. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and let sit until chocolate chips have softened, about 5 minutes.
- Swirl softened chocolate chips through caramel mixture using butter knife. Sprinkle with remaining ½ cup pecans and flake sea salt. Let bars sit at room temperature until chocolate is set, at least 3 hours.
- Using foil overhang, lift bars out of pan. (Caramel may stick to foil. Use paring knife to separate, if necessary.) Cut into 24 pieces (5 cuts by 3 cuts) and serve. (Bars can be stored in airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.)
for the crust
for the topping
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