Chocolate Caramel Bars

For the Crust:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter a 12″ x 8.25″ x 1″ flutend tart pan or cookie sheet
2. Blend flour, sugar, cornstarch, and salt in the food processor. Add butter and pulse until coarse meal forms.
3. Add 1 Tbsp ice water, egg yolk, and vanilla. Blend until moist clumps form.
4. Press dough into the bottom of the prepared pan. Piece dough all over with a fork.
5. Bake for 22 minutes or until the cookie is golden brown.

For the Caramel Sauce:

1. Meanwhile, melt butter in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat until it bubbles rapidly and the solids separate.
2. Whisk in brown sugar and cook, stirring constantly until a paste forms.
3. Continue cooking until the granular nature of the sugar is gone and you have a uniform texture.
4. Remove from heat and add heavy cream slowly and carefully as it will produce steam. Then add the rest of the vanilla.
5. Return to heat and stir until the solids from the sugar are combined with the cream.
6. Spread the caramel on top of the cookie and refrigerate for 1 hour.

For the Chocolate Topping:

1. In a heavy saucepan, bring 3 Tbsp heavy cream to a simmer. Remove from heat.
2. Add chocolate chips to the cream and cover the saucepan for 5 minutes.
3. Whisk chocolate chips into heavy cream until the chocolate is silky and smooth.
4. Pour the chocolate on top of the caramel. Sprinkle flaked sea salt on top.
5. Refrigerate for at least one hour.
6. Slice into thin and long slices. Serve.

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit Desserts.