Cookie conundrum? Raise the bar
Cookies baked in the City Different are just that … different, and usually, not in a good way. Many of them flatten, spread and lose their flavor, foiled by the reduced air pressure and increased evaporation that occur at our altitude.
It’s a bummer, but there are several things we can do to avoid the pitfalls: The simplest remedy for spreading is to opt for bar cookies. There are many reasons to love them, and the fact that dough can’t spread when baked within the walls of a pan makes them a favorite at high elevations. So, choose a bar cookie recipe and then increase the flavorings to compensate for their loss through evaporation. If the recipe also includes leavening, you’ll probably have to decrease it to prevent the dough from over-rising. If you aren’t satisfied with your results after making these modifications, decreasing the sugar and increasing the liquid may also be necessary.
This bar cookie features sweet apples bathed in gooey caramel and nestled between layers of tender, buttery, brown sugar and oat shortbread. Serve them as a cookie or cut them into larger pieces and serve them warm with a scoop of ice cream for dessert. If you can’t find Golden Delicious apples, substitute another sweet, soft baking apple, like Gala or Jonagold.
CARAMEL APPLE OAT BARS
Makes:25 1½-inch bars; total time: 1 hour, 30 minutes Make in an 8-by-8-inch shiny metal baking pan
For crust and topping
1 ⅓ cups unbleached all-purpose flour, spoon and level
½ cup plus ⅓ cup quick-cooking oats (not instant)
⅓ cup packed light brown sugar ⅛ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1½ generous cups ¼-inch cubes of peeled Golden Delicious apples (2-3 apples)
For caramel
½ cup heavy whipping cream 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
Pinch salt
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preparation: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, with a rack in the center position. Line the pan with nonstick or regular aluminum foil, extending it several inches on two opposing sides to use as handles when removing the slab of bars. Grease all exposed parts of the pan and the regular foil with a baking spray that contains flour.
Make the crust/topping: Combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon (if using) in a mixing bowl and whisk/stir until completely blended. Add the melted butter and mix until thoroughly combined. All dry ingredients should be wet enough to be crumbly. (If necessary, add another teaspoon of melted butter to reach this consistency, but too much butter will result in a hard crust, so take care.)
Bake the crust: Press half of the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan, leveling and smoothing it. Reserve the remainder for the topping. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the dough is set and barely colored. Remove to a rack and leave the oven on. Sprinkle the apple cubes over the warm base in a single layer, spreading them evenly. Set aside.
Make the caramel: Combine the cream, corn syrup, brown sugar and salt in a heavy saucepan (use a good-sized pan — the mixture will bubble up while it boils) and whisk until well combined. Place the pan over medium-high heat, stir constantly and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down so the caramel is at a slow boil, and stir frequently until the color changes and the mixture thickens slightly, 4-6 minutes. Remove from the heat, and whisk in the flour and vanilla until smooth and lumpfree.
Assemble and bake the slab of cookies: Pour the caramel over the apples so all are uniformly covered, then sprinkle on the topping and very gently press it into place. Return the pan to the oven’s center rack and bake until the top turns light golden, the edges turn a slightly darker color, any visible caramel is bubbly, and the apples are soft (test in the center with a fork), 27-35 minutes. If the top is done before the apples, tent the pan with a piece of aluminum foil until the fruit is fully baked. Remove the pan to a rack to cool completely.
Cut and store the cookies: Use the foil handles to lift the slab of cookies from the pan and cut it into squares, wiping your knife clean between cuts. Store the bars at cool room temperature or in the refrigerator for 5 days or freeze. If you freeze them, don’t cut them into squares until they’re partially thawed so they remain as moist as possible. Serve them warm or at room temperature.
This recipe is a variation of one published in The All-American Cookie Book, by Nancy Baggett.