Low FODMAP Mocha Chocolate Chunk Bars with Whiskey Salted Caramel
These are DECADENT! Chocolate, coffee, caramel, whiskey and salt in a brown subgar blondie base. Easy to make yet a bit fancy.
Low FODMAP AServing Sizse Info: Makes 25 bars; serving size 1 bar
Ingredients:
Salted Whiskey Caramel Drizzle:
- 1/2 cup (99 g) sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 3 tablespoons lactose-free heavy cream, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into pieces
- 1 teaspoon whiskey
- Maldon salt or other large flake salt
Bars:
- 1/2 cup (1 stick; 113 g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 1 cup (145 g) plus 3 tablespoons low FODMAP gluten-free all-purpose flour, such as Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Baking Flour
- Heaping 1/2 teaspoon baking powder; use gluten-free if following a gluten-free diet
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (213 g) firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon whiskey, divided
- 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 6 ounces (170 g) dark chocolate chunks, preferably 60% to 65% cacao
Preparation:
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Make the Caramel: I like making the caramel a day ahead or several hours ahead so that it has time to cool and thicken up enough for piping/drizzling. You might not use all of the caramel, but it is difficult to make a smaller batch. Any extra can be drizzled on lactose-free ice cream (we like Beckon!).
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Place the sugar and water in a small, deep, heavy pot, preferably stainless steel. Stir to combine the sugar and water and cook over a medium-high heat, without stirring, until the sugar syrup begins to take on a golden color, anywhere from 3 to 6 minutes; the color of the caramel is your main guide.
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When the syrup takes on a medium amber color immediately remove from the heat and quickly begin to add the cream, but do so in a slow pour. The mixture will most likely bubble up furiously. Just let the bubbling subside a bit and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the butter and whiskey until the residual heat melts the butter and your sauce is smooth. Cool until thick enough to hold shape while drizzling. You can hasten this by placing in a bowl set over ice.
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Make the Bars: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180° C). Line an 8-inch (20 cm) square pan with aluminum foil or parchment, then coat well with nonstick spray.
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Place butter in a small saucepan and heat over low-medium heat until melted. Continue to cook until the butter turns a nutty brown color, but take care not to burn the milk solids on the bottom. Pour into a mixing bowl and cool to lukewarm.
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In a separate small bowl whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together to aerate and combine; set aside.
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Whisk the brown sugar, 1 teaspoon whiskey, instant espresso powder and vanilla into the melted butter until well combined, then whisk in the egg. Fold in the dry mixture until a few floury streaks remain, then fold in the dark chocolate just until combined. Scrape into prepared pan and smooth top with a small offset spatula.
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Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center shows a few moist crumbs clinging when removed. The bars should be light golden brown, slightly puffed, and the edges will have just begun to come away from the sides of the pan. Place pan on rack and immediately pierce the bars all over with a bamboo skewer or toothpick. Brush the remaining whiskey over the entire surface.
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Cool pan on cooling rack until barely warm to the touch, then pull up on foil or parchment to remove bars from pan and cool bars on rack completely with foil/paper still on the bottom. Peel foil or parchment completely away from bars and discard; place cooled square on cutting board. To cut the bars, cut the square into a 5 by 5 grid (25 bars). Arrange squares on a serving platter or on a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment for easy cleanup.
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To Top With Caramel: Use a fork to drizzle the caramel over the bars, waving it back and forth to create random drizzles over the bars. Or, for the look here in the images, place cooled, thickened caramel in a parchment cone, snip the tip of the cone and use it to pipe whirls, swirls and loops of caramel. Sprinkle with large flake sea salt and serve caramel coated bars immediately.
Notes:
Tips
- These bars are a bit of a to-do compared to plain blondies or brownies, but if you follow the directions you will be rewarded with an incredible culinary experience that even NON FODMAPers will love. Temperature is key, especially when making and then drizzling the caramel, so pay close attention at those points.