Coffee Crunch Bars Recipes

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.

Steps:

• Melt the butter, chocolate and syrup in a heavy based saucepan. Scoop out about 1/2 cup of this melted mixture and put aside.
• Put the biscuits/cookies into a freezer bag and then bash them with a rolling pin. You are looking for both crumbs and pieces of cookies.
• Fold the cookie pieces and crumbs into the melted chocolate mixture, and then add the marshmallows.
• Pour into a 9-inch square foil tray; flatten as best you can with a spatula. Pour over the reserved 1/2 half cup of melted chocolate mixture and smooth the top.
• Refrigerate for about 2 hours or overnight.
• Cut into 24 fingers and dust with powdered sugar by pushing it gently through a tea strainer or small sieve.

Steps:

• Gently melt the butter, chocolate and syrup in a pan over a low heat, stirring frequently until smooth, then cool for about 10 mins.
• Stir the biscuits and sweets into the pan until well mixed, then pour into a 17cm square tin lined with foil and spread the mixture to roughly level it. Chill until hard, then cut into fingers.

Steps:

• Line a rimmed baking sheet with a nonstick cooking mat; set aside.
• In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, coffee, and corn syrup. Bring to a boil. Cook over medium heat to 300 degrees on a candy thermometer.
• Remove from heat for 10 seconds. Sift baking soda evenly over sugar syrup. Whisk just until combined. Pour immediately into the center of the prepared baking sheet. Let stand, without spreading, until cool, about 30 minutes.
• When ready to use, tap the crunch lightly with a spoon or knife handle to crack. Break into irregular pieces.

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.

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.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Generously grease a 9x13-inch baking pan or coat with nonstick spray.
• In a medium bowl, thoroughly stir together the flour, ground espresso beans, baking powder, and salt -- set aside.
• In a large bowl, with electric mixer on medium speed, beat together butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, coffee mixture, vanilla, and almond extract until lightened and fluffy.
• Stir or beat in the flour mixture, then the pecans and candy, until evenly incorporated.
• Turn out the mixture into the pan, spreading to the edges.
• Place a sheet of wax paper over the layer, and press it out until flat and smooth on top. Peel off and discard the paper. Bake in the middle of the oven for 23-27 minutes or until just barely firm when pressed in the center and faintly darker at the edges; be careful not to overbake. Transfer to a wire rack and let stand until barely warm. For the icing -- In a small bowl, vigorously stir together the powdered sugar, butter, coffee mixture, vanilla and almond extract until well blended and smooth.
• Stir in enough warm water, a little at a time, to yield a slightly runny icing.
• Using a table knife, immediately spread the icing evenly over the bars, work quickly, at the icing firms rapidly.
• Let stand until completely cooled and the icing is completely set.about 1 hour.
• Using a large sharp knife cut into 24 bars, wipe knife clean between cuts.
• Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week or freeze up to 1 month.
• If freezing, leave the slab whole, then cut into bars when partially thawed.