Coffee Crunch Bars - Recipe

2013-02-09 64

This recipe is for serious coffee lovers! Just be careful to not over bake them; the coffee will take on a bitter taste, and you don't want that.

Ingredients
2 cups AP flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups (firmly packed) brown sugar
2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup almond slivers

Method:

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Cream together butter and sugar, about 2 minutes. Add espresso powder and almond extract; beat 1 minute.Blend together flour, salt, and baking powder. Stir flour mixture into butter mixture in 3 additions, until just absorbed after each addition. Stir in chocolate chips and almonds.
Turn dough out onto ungreased rimmed baking sheet. Shape dough into 11" square. Pierce all over with fork.

Bake until edges are lightly browned and beginning to crisp, 45 to 50 minutes. Don't over cook or the coffee will become bitter! Cool on sheet 1 minute then cut into bars. Transfer to a rack to cool.