Salted chocolate toffee apple bars

They’re like Millionaire’s Shortbread, but with sticky toffee apples and a buttery biscuit base. I think salted chocolate is always a good idea, so there’s that too. If you’re familiar with Nigella’s girdle-buster pie, I think you might get the idea of where we’re going with these salted chocolate toffee apple bars.

Salted chocolate toffee apple bars

Salted chocolate toffee apple bars

Makes 25 slices

Biscuit base

    • 125g (1 stick) butter, softened
    • 70g (1/3 cup) golden castor sugar
    • 1 egg yolk
    • 150g (1 cup) all-purpose cake flour
    • pinch of salt
    • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Apple filling

    • 5 apples, peeled and cut into pieces
    • 3/4 cup water
    • 2 tablespoons butter
    • 1 tablespoon demerara sugar

Caramel

    • 150g golden castor sugar
    • 3 tablespoons butter
    • 125ml cream

Chocolate Ganache topping

  • 200g 70% dark chocolate
  • 1/3 cup cream
  • Maldon sea salt, to finish
  1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Grease and line a 20cm square baking tin with parchment paper, extending the paper over the sides to form handles.
  2. Cream the butter and castor sugar together until light. Add the egg yolk and beat again to combine.
  3. Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder. Add the flour to the butter mixture and combine to form a soft dough.
  4. Press the dough into the base of the baking tin and smooth over with the back of a spoon. Bake for about 30 minutes until golden and cooked through. Set aside to cool.
  5. To make the apple filling, place the apples and water in a wide based pan. Simmer for about 15 minutes until soft with no water remaining. Add the butter and sugar, turn up the heat and cook until the apples are slightly caramelised.
  6. Set aside to cool before spreading over the shortbread biscuit base.
  7. For the caramel, place the sugar in a heavy based saucepan on a medium-high heat. Do not stir. Swirl the pan from time to time until all the sugar has melted and is a deep caramel colour. Add the butter and then the cream. Allow to bubble away until the caramel is smooth and glossy.
  8. Pour the hot caramel over the apples and smooth over. Place the baking tin in the fridge until the caramel is set and cool.
  9. Finally, make the ganache by gently melting together the chocolate and cream. Whisk until completely smooth. Pour the ganache over the apples and spread with an off-set spatula to cover the caramel. Scatter with sea salt flakes. Chill until the chocolate sets completely.
  10. Remove the entire bake from the tin by lifting the extended paper handles. Cut into bars or squares. Store covered in the fridge.

 

A few more delicious ideas of what to do with apples:

 

 

33 Comments. Leave new

  • Always enjoy your work … art for the eye and the palate 🙂 would love to win one of the Netflorist vouchers as it would enable me to bless one or two of many hardworking underappreciated women in our little town. The Lord often shows me people who are struggling and flowers though really appreciated are just completely unaffordable for these women. What a wonderful opportunity to give living beauty to someone in need.

  • Rhoda Du Toit
    4 August 2016 7:14 am

    Thank you for you latest sin, of sharing those decadent little morsels of heaven. Will be trying them today.

    I would like to gift my mom, who is my unfailing Hero… There for me every step
    of the way, no matter what. She is selfless with a gentle spirit and goes with the flow.

  • Anisa du Plessis
    4 August 2016 7:24 am

    My friend Hele has just been told by her husband that he no longer loves her. She is overwhelmed bewildered and very sad. I just want to let her know that she’s stronger than she knows and I love her very much

  • Looks absolutely deliciously devine @

  • I would share this with my husband.We have been married for 34 years and he is dying from stage 4 cancer.He has been brave as he faces grueling chemotherapy and other drugs.
    Every time we receive gifts from Netflorist we are so excited because anything fresher than the flowers or fruit are still on the tree.

  • I will share the gift with my husband who has stage 4 cancer and is battling with all the drugs.

  • Colleen Etchells
    4 August 2016 8:54 am

    I would spoil my daughter Dee-Ann who is a wonderful mommy to 2 beautiful girls under 18 months and also my daughter in-law, Alex, who will become a mommy tomorrow, 5 August, when her daughter is born.

  • Keroshnee pillay
    4 August 2016 9:21 am

    I would love to spoil my mum.

  • Keroshnee pillay
    4 August 2016 9:24 am

    I would love to spoil my mum because she’s my role model. I admire her for her values and character. She’s always willing to help even though she may be busy. She deserves something this sweet

  • I plan to spoil my sister in law who will appreciate it a lot during this time in her life.

  • Chantal Wiggill
    4 August 2016 10:44 am

    I would spoil my partner who lives in South Africa (we are in a long distance relationship). She is absolutely amazing and helps out so many other women and children in her community and in South Africa in general, would like to remind her that she is appreciated 🙂

  • Rebecca Ramage
    4 August 2016 11:15 am

    Thanks for partnering with Netflorist for this awesome competition. I will spoil my mother as she is currently studying for the 1st time in her life at 51. She is very stressed and deserves a spoil to motivate her to continue. We are so proud of her!

  • Phophi Nikki
    4 August 2016 11:19 am

    I would love to spoil my mother with some lovely flowers and chocolate . She’s such an amazing woman and letting her know through her favourite things would give me the greatest joy .

  • I would love to win a sweet surprise! I’m a working mom to a one year old, but thats not my only baby…theres my husband too. I would love a spoiling of something sweet. I have always had a sweet tooth and my poor husband is getting tired of being my chauffeur on food fuelled missions to every bakery in gauteng lol.
    Please please pick me….maybe I can steal a few minutes for myself with this sweet surprise, the toffee apple bars look omg sooooooo gooood!, a movie and a cup of tea while my other halves are busy somewhere.
    Pick Me PLEASE!!

  • darlene shunmugam
    4 August 2016 11:22 am

    I Intend on spoiling myself with those decadent choc strawberry’s , i feel strong hard working women always need to be taken care of and spoiled , we have to pamper and take take of ourselves. we are always so busy with our family and taking care of their needs we often put ourselves aside. This is a reminder if i take care of “me” and everything else falls in to place ,i am then better equipped to continue taking care of everyone else 🙂 🙂 The recipe above looks delicious , i will surely give it a try .

  • I will share this with my boys, it’s my bithday the 9 August and this will be nice treat for us as an family.

  • My youngest daughter – she is visiting next week (all the way from the Navy Base in Simonstown) and I cannot wait to kiss hug spoil kiss hug spoil x 100 her!

  • Subscribed and shared. I will share my brownie box with my mum. For the past two nights I have been down and out with the flu/fever and my mum has babied my every second since she saw me curl up in deep shivers. She is the most deserving and most caring person in my life.

  • Candice Tromp
    4 August 2016 9:11 pm

    I would spoil my two moms! Being women’s day we need to celebrate the beautiful and special women in our lives. My mom who sacrifices daily for her family and my mom in law who would love a cheering up after losing my father in law.
    Happy women’s day!!

  • Good day 🙂 Years and years we heard the saying what’s a home without a mother
    If I win I’ll share it with my My mother ,she is my inspiration when I was knocked my a car both my legs shattered into pieces, guess who was there my mother!

    My mother for years growing up was the only bread winner, keeping me and my sister tummy full with 100r a week those days, she did it, she never complained and went to work everyday, worrying if we OK at home while she go to work for us, she made sure we finish our school years even if we were school fees outstanding.

    My mother is always so willing to help others taking in ppl from anywhere to give them a slice of bread when they hungry.

    She rolled me down the aisle on my wedding day, she did everything for me I’m forever grateful to God for giving me such a strong mother who didn’t give up when things was so tough for her, she is a fighter and my Hero 🙂

  • Marie Mhlanga
    5 August 2016 5:47 pm

    I intend to spoil myself, it’s been while not getting a gift. If I get it will be a dream come true.

  • Hi there;
    Delicious recipe! I would share it with my mum because she is such a hard worker and is never ever taking a break. I feel she deserves the extra pampering.

  • Kathryn Cupido
    6 August 2016 8:45 am

    I would spoil my daughter Imogen who is a wonderful young woman & has lots of homework 🙂

  • Carl Sandburg wrote “Poetry is the synthesis of hyacinths and biscuits,” and so is this beautiful blog post Di. I would savour your giveaway as words and flowers feed my soul, and your salted chocolate toffee apple bars would be a feast – period! x

  • Your gorgeous toffee apple bars look like the perfect way to spoil anyone (including myself!!) Dianne !! English apples will soon be ready here, I can’t wait to try these! <3 xx

  • Dianne Bibby
    7 August 2016 7:05 pm

    Words, flowers and food. Perfect trio! Plus a cup of tea…. Love the quote Gill.

  • Dianne Bibby
    7 August 2016 7:14 pm

    Thanks Vera. Chocolate, toffee and apples can only be good, right?

  • Sharing this amazing prize with a women a phenomenal strong survivor woman who is also my sister inlaw Natasha , a hand on mum and upstanding community roll model, who gives of herself selflessly and always wearing the biggest smile everyday I can’t believe her inner strength and how she impacts my life and I would really love this as a token of love and in honor of her survival and bravery she shows daily <3 <3 <3 <3 She always tells me " WHEN YOU STANDING IN THE STORM AND THE WIND DONT BLOW YOUR WAY , ADJUST YOUR SAIL " 🙂

  • Dianne Bibby
    8 August 2016 12:11 pm

    Hi Chante. I know this is the shortened version of your beautiful dedication, but thank you for sharing her struggles and victories with us. I hope your sister in-law will be feel completely special with her spoil.

  • Dianne Bibby
    8 August 2016 12:15 pm

    Hi Phophi. You’re so right. Mums are the secret ingredient that make life special. Hope yours will enjoy her Women’s day with her feet up, a cup of tea and a delicious box of NetFlorist cake.

  • Dianne Bibby
    8 August 2016 12:18 pm

    Hi there Carol-Ann. Your voucher will be on its way shortly. Thank you for noticing these special women who need just something small to make them feel valuable and visible.

  • I’d be in trouble if I were left unsupervised with these, Di! Apple season is underway, SO early in the Pacific Northwest. I’m already picking off my neighbor’s tree! These are absolutely sublime, Di!

  • Dianne Bibby
    14 August 2016 4:51 pm

    Thanks Traci. I have to pack them up and send them off asap before I loose complete control! You’re so fortunate to have a neighbour with an apple tree! Literally farm to table.

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