Don Strange Salted Caramel Pumpkin Pie Bars
Leave it to Don Strange of Texas to find a way to make pie even better....pie bars! Try this Salted Caramel Pumpkin Pie Bar with plenty of whipped cream, served on a shortbread cookie crust. A fun way to serve dessert at any event! Cut like a brownie, the pie bars are portable, tasty slices of flavor, requiring no silverware to dive in and enjoy them.
For the Crust:
- pound ½ unsalted butter 2 sticks
- cup ½sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- teaspoon ½salt
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
For the Filling:
- 8 ounce package cream cheese room temperature
- oz One 15can pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie mix
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon ½vanilla
- teaspoon ½almond extract
- 1 pound box confectioners’ sugar 4 cups
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- teaspoon ¼ground ginger
- 3 large eggs
Salted Caramel:
- 6 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons non-fat half & half
- 2 tablespoons butter
- teaspoon ½coarse sea salt
Crust:
Melt the butter removed from heat or microwave, stir in sugar, vanilla and salt. Add the flour all at once and mix until just incorporated. Press the dough evenly in the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake crust for 20 minutes in a 350 degree pre-heated oven, until the edges are light brown. Let cool completely.
Filling:
Beat the cream cheese on medium speed in a mixer until smooth and creamy about 5 minutes. Add the pumpkin and mix until incorporated, about 5 minutes. Turn the speed to low, add the melted butter and vanilla, almond extract, and mix until combined. Add the confectioners’ sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and eggs, beating until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined. Mix until smooth. Pour into prepared crust. Bake for 45 minutes to 55 minutes until the center is firm. Let cool until room temperature and then refrigerate.
Salted Caramel:
In a medium saucepan, stir together brown sugar and half & half. Over medium heat, bring mixture to a boil. Stirring constantly, allow sugar mixture to boil until sugar has dissolved and mixture has turned dark brown. This will take about 3 minutes. Stir in butter and salt. Remove from heat and continue stirring for another two minutes to cool the mixture.