Recipe For Coffee Bars

CINNAMON COFFEE BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 13x9-inch baking dish.
• Beat shortening and brown sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until smooth. Blend egg into the shortening mixture. Add hot coffee and stir.
• Sift flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt together in a separate bowl; stir into the shortening mixture. Fold raisins and chopped nuts into the batter; spread into the prepared baking dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.

COFFEE TOFFEE CRUNCH BARS

Steps:

• For the base: Line a baking sheet with parchment and put a 15-by-11-inch ring mold on top. Spray the parchment and ring mold with cooking spray.
• Melt the praline paste and white chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over (but not touching) a saucepan of simmering water, stirring to combine. Fold in the feuilletine. Spread evenly on the bottom of the prepared ring mold. Sprinkle the crushed toffee pieces over the crust. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
• For the mousse: Put the milk chocolate in a large bowl. Bloom the gelatin sheets in a bowl of ice water until soft, about 5 minutes.
• Bring the milk, coffee extract, salt and bloomed gelatin to a boil in a medium saucepan. Puree with an immersion blender until smooth, then strain through a fine mesh sieve over the milk chocolate. Let sit for 5 minutes, then stir with a rubber spatula to combine. Allow to cool to 90 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer.
• Meanwhile, whip the cream by hand or with an electric mixer on medium speed until it holds a ribbon on the surface when the whisk is lifted.
• Fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture in 3 additions. Pour over the feuilletine base and smooth evenly with an offset spatula. Allow to set, about 45 minutes, then wrap with plastic wrap and freeze the layered base overnight.
• For the cremeaux: Put the white chocolate and glucose syrup in a large bowl. Bloom the gelatin sheets in a bowl of ice water until soft, about 5 minutes.
• Bring the cream, milk and bloomed gelatin to a boil in a large saucepan. Strain through a fine mesh sieve over the white chocolate and glucose. Let sit for 2 minutes, then stir with a rubber spatula to combine. Press plastic wrap directly on the surface so it doesn't form a skin and cover the bowl with another piece of plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• Flip the frozen layered base over (still in the ring mold), peel off the parchment and place on another parchment-lined baking sheet. Run a hot knife around the edges of the layered base and lift the ring mold to remove. Let sit at room temperature until it can be cut, 15 to 20 minutes and no more than 30 minutes. Test by touching the center with your fingertip. If it leaves a fingerprint, it's ready to cut.
• Cut into 1-by-4-inch inch bars (or whatever size you want). Whip the cremeux to stiff peaks with an electric mixer on medium-high speed and place in a piping bag with a small plain round or star pastry tip. Pipe the cremeux in small dollops or rosettes on top of each bar.

COFFEE BARS

Steps:

• Combine flour, baking powder, cardamom, and salt; set these dry ingredients aside.
• Combine milk and instant coffee in saucepan, and heat at a medium low setting. Stir until coffee dissolves, and remove from the heat.
• In a large bowl, cream the butter or margarine with the white sugar and 1 cup confectioners' sugar. Beat in the egg, and then beat in the coffee mixture. Gradually blend in the mixture of dry ingredients, and fold in the almonds.
• Spread dough evenly in a 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Bake for 18-20 minutes at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack.
• To Make Frosting: Put 1 cup of the confectioners' sugar in a mixing bowl. Beat in the evaporated milk and vanilla extract. Gradually beat in remaining 2 cups of confectioners' sugar. Continue beating until of desired consistency. If consistency is too thick, add a little more milk; if it is too thin, add more powdered sugar.
• Frost the bars with the icing.

TOFFEE BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a mixer, beat the butter, sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla. Gradually mix in flour, then salt, and continue beating until well blended, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Transfer batter to a 9 by 13-inch pan, and flatten out with a rubber spatula.
• Bake until slightly browned, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately place squares of white chocolate on top, gently spreading with an off-set spatula or dull knife as they melt. Sprinkle with nuts and cranberries. Allow to set, about 15 minutes, and then cut into squares.

CINNAMON COFFEE BARS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and coffee. Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts. , Spread into a well-greased 8-in. square baking dish. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean., In a small bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar, vanilla and enough milk to achieve a desired consistency. Drizzle over warm bars. Cool completely on a wire rack before cutting.

COFFEE CRUNCH BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350*. Blend all ingredients (except almonds & chocolate chips) thoroughly. Stir in the almonds and chocolate chips.
• Spread batter evenly in an ungreased 15" x 10" x 1",jelly roll pan.
• Bake 18-25 minutes, or until lightly browned and crisp. Cut into 2" x 1" bars while still warm.

COFFEE CRUNCH BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Whisk first 3 ingredients in medium bowl to blend.
• Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in another medium bowl until blended, about 2 minutes. Add espresso powder and almond extract; beat 1 minute. Stir in flour mixture in 3 additions, mixing until just absorbed after each addition. Stir in chocolate chips and almonds (dough will be thick).
• Turn dough out onto ungreased rimmed baking sheet. Using hands, press dough into 12-inch square. Pierce all over with fork at 1-inch intervals.
• Bake until edges are lightly browned and beginning to crisp, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool on sheet 1 minute. Cut into 48 bars. Immediately transfer to rack; cool (bars will crisp as they cool). DO AHEAD: Can be made 5 days ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.

CHRIS' CHOCOLATE CHIP COFFEE BARS

Steps:

• Beat eggs.
• Add coffee (not boiling).
• Add brown sugar; mix well.
• Add sifted flour and other dry ingredients.
• Add oil and vanilla; blend well.
• Pour onto a large ungreased cookie sheet.
• Sprinkle chocolate chips and walnuts on top of batter.
• Bake at 350°F, for 25-30 minutes.
• Cool and cut into squares.

IRISH CREAM-COFFEE BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom and sides of 8-inch square pan with cooking spray. In large bowl, place cookie mix and pecans. Cut in butter, using pastry blender or fork, until mixture looks like coarse crumbs. With fork, stir in egg. Press half of cookie mixture in bottom of pan. Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown. Reserve remaining cookie mixture.
• Meanwhile, in small bowl, stir milk, 2 tablespoons liqueur and the coffee granules until well blended. Pour evenly over warm crust. Sprinkle reserved cookie mixture over top. Bake 25 to 30 minutes longer or until golden brown. Cool 30 minutes at room temperature. Refrigerate 1 hour to cool completely. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting into bars (5 rows by 5 rows). Store bars covered at room temperature.
• Just before serving, in small bowl, beat whipping cream, brown sugar, 1 tablespoon liqueur and the vanilla with electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Top each bar with dollop of whipped cream; sprinkle with ground cinnamon. Insert cinnamon stick into each dollop of whipped cream.

CHEWY IRISH-COFFEE BLONDIES

Steps:

• Make the blondies: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan, and line with parchment so that it overhangs on all sides. Butter parchment. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and baking soda.
• Melt butter, and pour into a mixing bowl with brown sugar, ground coffee, and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir to combine. Stir in eggs and vanilla extract. Stir in flour mixture until just combined. Pour batter into pan, and sprinkle with almonds. Bake 27 to 30 minutes, depending on how chewy you like your blondies (a shorter baking time results in a chewier blondie). Let cool completely.
• Make the glaze: Whisk together butter and whiskey. Gradually whisk in confectioners' sugar until glaze is thick but pourable (you may not need all the sugar). Using a spoon or a pastry bag fitted with a plain round tip, drizzle glaze over blondies in a rough crosshatch pattern. Let glaze dry 1 hour. Cut blondies into 2-inch squares.