Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars

Ingredients:

– 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
– 1/2 cup granulated sugar
– 1/2 teaspoon salt
– 1 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
– 4 large apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
– 1/4 cup brown sugar
– 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
– 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
– 1 tablespoon lemon juice
– 1/2 cup salted caramel sauce
– 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt (for sprinkling)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, and salt. Add cold butter cubes and use a pastry cutter or your fingers to work the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Press about two-thirds of the mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan to form the crust.
4. In another bowl, toss the apple slices with brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon juice until well coated.
5. Spread the apple mixture evenly over the crust layer.
6. Drizzle the salted caramel sauce evenly over the apples.
7. Crumble the remaining flour and butter mixture over the top of the apples and caramel.
8. Sprinkle coarse sea salt lightly over the top.
9. Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and apples are tender.
10. Let cool completely in the pan before cutting into bars.

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cooking Time: 50 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Kcal: 320 kcal | Servings: 12 servings

Tips:
Use tart apples like Granny Smith for a balanced sweet and tangy flavor.
Chill the crust mixture before pressing it into the pan to achieve a flakier texture.