Dulce de Leche Apple Bars with Browned Butter Icing
BARS:
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups chopped, peeled apples
1/2 cup dulce de leche*
ICING:
2 Tbs butter
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 to 2 Tbs half and half or cream
-
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9x9-inch square baking pan.
-
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
-
In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla until
fluffy. -
Stir flour mixture into sugar mixture, just until combined. Carefully
stir in apples. -
Spoon 2/3 of the batter into the prepared pan. Drop dulce de leche by
heaping Tablespoons over batter. Drag a butter knife through dulce de leche
to swirl through the batter. Drop remaining batter over dulce de leche. -
Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until browned and firm to touch. Let cool
completely. -
Prepare icing: In a small saucepan, heat butter over medium until it
begins to brown. Remove from heat. Add to a bowl with powdered sugar,
vanilla and half/half. Beat on high speed with electric mixer until creamy.
Drizzle and spread over bars, and chill until icing is set. -
For cleanest cuts, chill completely and slice into the bars with a sharp,
thin knife. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
Yield: 16 brownies
Cooking Tips
*You can make your own dulce de leche or purchase it already made. We can usually find it in a can in the Latin section of our local grocery store.
The stuff in the can is pretty darn good. You just might want to heat it up
for 20 seconds in the microwave before scooping it onto the bars.