Caramel Topped Snickerdoodle Bars

I asked my mom one day, "Why are supermodels so skinny?"

She replied very wisely, "Because they eat to live, whereas we live to eat."
Aha! Mystery solved.

Now my mom is in no way overweight, and I certainly try my best to maintain a certain size.
However, I will never be supermodel thin, or ever be accused of being too skinny.

I seriously love food too much. I enjoy trying new food, cooking new foods and even revisiting old favorites.

When I wake up, I'm thinking about food.... after breakfast.... what's for snack.... what's for lunch.... what's for snack.... what's for dinner.... what can I bake today..... it's so sad, but true.
I even go to bed thinking about what new thing I can bake. 

I have even opened my world to healthier eating/cooking/baking. I was dreading it at first, but then realized all the new food I would be creating. Yeah!
This recipe is not one of them though, sorry.

This dessert doesn't hide the fat, but embraces it.

Caramel Topped Snickerdoodle Bars

Caramel Sauce

I'm in love with this stuff. I dedicated a whole post to it, with pictures, here.

3 cups granulated sugar, divided (2 1/2 cups + 1/2 cup)
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/8 teaspoon salt

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine 2 1/2 cups sugar, corn syrup, and milk. Stir continuously until the sugar dissolves and no longer has a granular feeling. Keep warm over low heat.

In a separate deep, heavy saucepan, add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and spread evenly over the bottom. Cook over medium heat without stirring until the sugar dissolves and begins to turn an amber color. You may “swirl” your pan if necessary to re-distribute sugar while cooking.

As soon as the sugar turns colors, carefully add the warm milk mixture into the heavy saucepan. It will bubble up vigorously and sizzle and the caramel on the bottom will harden.

Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the caramel dissolves and the liquid turns caramel color. Then cook without stirring until the mixture reaches soft-ball stage (235°F) on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat. Stir in the butter.

Snickerdoodle Bars

adapted from Cookies and cups

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup butter, at room temperature
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350F.

Grease a 9 x 13 inch pan.

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.

In large bowl, beat together butter, sugar, egg and vanilla until smooth.

Stir in the flour mixture until well blended.

Spread evenly in prepared pan.

Combine white sugar and cinnamon in a little bowl. Evenly sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture over the top of the batter.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until surface springs back when gently pressed. 

Once slightly cooled, but still warm, cut into slices.

Drizzle with the caramel sauce.

To make it even more spectacular, my fabulous husband made homemade ice cream.

Ridiculously good! 

Baking from my heart to your kitchen,

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