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Have you heard that expression “small but mighty”? When I hear it, the first thing I think of is my younger son. He is actually quite big for his age but considering that age is only 2 1/2 he is still small, all things considered. But oh, is he mighty. I wouldn’t say he has the terrible two’s though. I would just say that he is a force to be reckoned with. Most of the time he is very agreeable, cheerful and funny. But if he doesn’t get, say, a lollipop like his brother because he didn’t finish his lunch…watch out. He threw such a fit that I had to take him outside and even then people were staring across the street. Small but mighty.
On a visit to Holly B’s Bakery, you will find lots of large treats. The slices of pizza are huge, the cinnamon rolls are generous, even the cookies are big. These Cappucino Bars are not. They are slender and delicate looking but they pack a flavor punch. The combination of coffee, chocolate, and just a bit of cinnamon here is intoxicating. In spite of the title, the coffee flavor here is fairly subtle so even my coffee hating husband thinks they are delicious.
To buy the Holly B’s cookbook, please visit this site.
One Year Ago: Quick Olive and Cheese Bread and White Beans with Tomatoes and Sage
Cappucino Bars
With Love & Butter
32 bars
To get really flat bars, I find it works best to smooth them over with an offset spatula, using gentle pressure, just after they come out of the oven and before you apply the glaze.
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tbsp. instant coffee or espresso powder (not granules)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Glaze
2 tbsp. milk
1 tbsp. butter
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
Preheat the oven to 375 F with the rack at the middle level. Line a 10×15 inch pan with baking parchment or grease lightly. (DT: This is also called a jelly roll pan.)
Cream together the butter, brown sugar, instant coffee, and vanilla. Blend in the flour, baking poser, and salt. Last, stir in the chocolate chips by hand. The mixture will be very crumbly, with barely enough dough to hold together the chocolate chips.
Use your fingers, palms, and heels of your hands to press the dough evenly into the pan. If necessary, cover the dough with wax or parchment paper and use a small rolling pin to flatten the lumps. Bake 5 minutes, rotate the pan, and bake 5 to 10 minutes more or until the edges are just starting to brown (watch carefully). Cool in the pan 5 minutes before spreading with glaze.
Put all the ingredients for the glaze in a small saucepan on medium heat. Don’t leave this stuff! Find a whisk and stir until smooth and barely bubbly. Drizzle the glaze evenly over the bars and smooth out to the edges and corners with a rubber spatula.
Cool until the pan is just warm to the touch and cut into bars with a sharp knife. (Holly recommends cutting 8 on the 10-inch side and 4 on the 15-inch side, equaling 32 candy-bar sized cookies. You can halve them too.)
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