Salted Guajillo Caramel Chocolate Chunk Bars

Name: Salted Guajillo Caramel Chocolate Chunk Bars
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Yield: 24
Cuisine: American,
Ingredients: 6 tbsps (3/4 stick) butter cut into chunks; 1 cup granulated sugar; 1/2 cup heavy cream; 1 tsp McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract; 2 tbsps ground roasted guajillo chile; 1/2 tsp McCormick Gourmet™ Sicilian Sea Salt; 2 1/4 cups flour; 1 tbsp ground roasted guajillo chile; 1/2 tsp baking soda; 1/4 tsp salt; 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter melted and cooled slightly; 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar; 1/2 cup granulated sugar; 3 eggs; 2 tsps McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract; 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chunks

The mild heat and berry undertones of guajillo chilies make them ideal for adding to desserts, especially this layered bar cookie. Photo credit: Naomi Robinson from Bakers Royale.

20m

PREP TIME

45m

COOK TIME

307

CALORIES

16

INGREDIENTS

Servings: 24

Ingredients

Salted Guajillo Caramel Sauce
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter, cut into chunks
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon McCormick® All Natural Pure Vanilla Extract
2 tablespoons ground roasted guajillo chile
1/2 teaspoon McCormick Gourmet™ Sicilian Sea Salt
Chocolate Chunk Bars
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tablespoon ground roasted guajillo chile
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons McCormick® All Natural Pure Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chunks

KEY PRODUCTS

INSTRUCTIONS

1 For the Caramel Sauce, melt butter in medium saucepan on medium heat. Add sugar; cook and stir with wire whisk 6 to 7 minutes or until mixture turns a deep amber color. Carefully stir in cream, vanilla, ground guajillo chile and sea salt. (Mixture will be bubbly.) Whisking constantly, cook 1 to 2 minutes until sauce thickens and coats back of spoon. Let stand 5 minutes or until slightly thickened.
2 Preheat oven to 325°F. For the Bars, mix flour, ground guajillo chile, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Set aside. Mix butter and sugars in large bowl until well blended. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well. Add flour mixture; mix just until moistened. Stir in chocolate chunks. Reserve 1 cup of the batter. Spread remaining batter in foil-lined 13x9-inch baking pan sprayed with no stick cooking spray. Bake 15 minutes.
3 Pour Caramel Sauce over baked layer in pan, spreading to within 1/2 inch of edges. Drop reserved 1 cup batter by spoonfuls over caramel layer. Cut through batter with knife several times for a marble effect.
4 Bake 15 to 20 minutes longer or until top is golden brown and center is set. Cool in pan on wire rack. Use foil handles to remove dessert from pan. Place on cutting board and cut into bars.