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Salty Honey and Browned Butter Bars
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Cheryl Day — cookbook author, pastry chef and co-owner of Back in the Day Bakery in Savannah, Georgia — knows a thing or two about Southern baking. So it’s no surprise that these sweet and salty bars, adapted from her book, “Cheryl Day’s Treasury of Southern Baking,” are reminiscent of rich, custardy chess pie. But Day brings a new twist to the Southern classic by using browned butter for its notes of toasted nuts and giving the treats a nuanced sweetness with a combination of white sugar, Lyle’s Golden Syrup and floral honey. She also balances the sugariness and heightens the flavors with a good dose of salt. Lyle’s Golden Syrup is a cane syrup with a light caramel flavor that’s popular in the U.K. It’s sold in most well-stocked grocery stores here in the U.S., but if it’s not available, you can mimic its flavor by combining 3 tablespoons light corn syrup and 2½ tablespoons pure maple syrup. Refrigerate leftover bars in an airtight container for up to three days; bring to room temperature before serving.
Makes
20 to 24 bars
Don’t skip the step of poking holes in and refrigerating the crust before baking. The holes allow steam to escape, thereby minimizing the amount the baked good puffs in the oven. Chilling the crust before baking will help prevent the side walls from slumping in the oven. Also, don’t use a nonstick skillet to brown the butter for the filling. A pan with a light-colored surface will allow you to better see the color of the milk solids and fat so you can monitor their progress. If you don’t own a conventional (i.e., not nonstick) skillet, use a conventional saucepan instead.
1 hour 20 minutes
25 minutes active, plus cooling
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390
grams (3 cups) all-purpose flour
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109
grams (½ cup packed) light brown sugar
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½
teaspoon table salt
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283
grams (20 tablespoons) salted butter, melted and slightly cooled
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113
grams (8 tablespoons) salted butter, cut into 8 pieces
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107
grams (½ cup) white sugar
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167
grams (½ cup) honey
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2
tablespoons fine cornmeal
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¾
teaspoon table salt
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3
large eggs, plus 1 large egg yolk
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109
grams (⅓ cup) Lyle’s Golden Syrup (see headnote)
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½
cup heavy cream
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2
teaspoons vanilla extract
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2
teaspoons cider vinegar
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1
teaspoon flaky sea salt
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01Mist a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Line the pan with a 16-inch length of foil perpendicular to the pan’s length; fold the foil widthwise so it fits neatly in the bottom of the pan and allow the excess to overhang the sides. Mist the foil with cooking spray.
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02To make the crust, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar and salt, breaking up any lumps of sugar. Drizzle in the butter and stir with a silicone spatula until the mixture is evenly moistened and crumbly. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and, using your hands, press the dough into an even layer in the bottom of the pan and 1 inch up the sides; the side walls should be about ¼ inch thick (it’s fine if the sides are not perfect). Using a fork, poke holes in the bottom of the crust. Refrigerate, uncovered, until the crust is firm to the touch, 30 to 45 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the middle position.
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03Bake the chilled crust until lightly browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack while you make the filling; leave the oven on.
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04To make the filing, in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high, melt the butter. Cook, swirling the pan frequently, until the milk solids at the bottom are golden brown and the butter has a nutty aroma, 1 to 3 minutes. Pour into a large heatproof bowl, making sure to include the milk solids. Cool, stirring occasionally, until just warm to the touch.
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05To the browned butter, whisk in the sugar, honey, cornmeal and table salt. Add the whole eggs and yolk, then gently whisk to combine. Whisk in the syrup, cream, vanilla and vinegar until homogeneous. Pour the filling into the crust. Bake until the edges are puffed and the center wobbles slightly when the pan is gently jiggled, 30 to 35 minutes.
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06Transfer to a wire rack and sprinkle the surface with the flaky salt. Cool for at least 3 hours. Remove the bars from the pan, using the foil overhang as handles, and set on a cutting board. Using a chef’s knife, cut into 16 to 20 pieces.