Summer in the city

 

Normally I'd be travelling during the summer, something I've done nearly every year of my life. Like everything else during the COVID period, I had to cancel my travel plans, and now I'm spending the summer in Toronto. I'm lucky to have Rachel and her boyfriend living with me, which gives me both companionship and people to bake for! 

Early in the summer, I was browsing through my Dorie Greenspan cookbook, looking for a fun backyard treat. Her recipe for caramel crunch bars looked delicious, and when I saw that one of the variations involved making them into ice cream bars, I was sold. They're quite rich, so even a small-ish ice cream bar will hit the spot ... and make your summer at home just a little sweeter.

Caramel Crunch Ice Cream Bars

from Baking From My Home to Yours, by Dorie Greenspan

Ingredients

For the base

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp instant espresso powder 

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

2 sticks (16 Tbsp) unsalted butter at room temperature

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup white sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 ounces bittersweet or premium-quality milk chocolate, finely chopped (first amount)

For the topping

6 ounces bittersweet or premium-quality milk chocolate, finely chopped (second amount)

3/4 cup toffee bits

For assembly

vanilla ice cream

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a 9" x 13" baking pan with parchment paper.

Whisk together the flour, espresso powder, salt and cinnamon.

Beat the butter at medium speed in a stand mixer until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add white sugar and brown sugar, and beat another 3 minutes, then add the vanilla, beating until smooth. Add all the dry ingredients, then either stir with a spoon or beat at the lowest speed until just mixed. Add 3 ounces chopped chocolate and stir until combined. You'll have a heavy, very sticky dough. Scrape into the baking pan, and bake for 20 to 22 minutes. Remove pan from oven and turn off the heat.

To make the topping, scatter 6 ounces chopped chocolate evenly over the base and place back in the oven for 2 to 3 minutes, until chocolate is soft. Remove from the oven and immediately spread the chocolate evenly over the bars, with an offset spatula or back of a spoon. Sprinkle toffee bits over the chocolate and press them down lightly with your fingertips. Let sit until fully cooled before cutting.

To make ice cream bars, set one bar (frosted side up) on a baking sheet, and spread with a thick layer of softened ice cream. Top with a second bar, frosted side up, and put in the freezer to firm up the ice cream. Repeat until all the bars are assembled.