Pumpkin Chai Latte Bars
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 1 hr 5 mins
Chill Time: 4 hrs
Total Time: 5 hrs 25 mins
Servings: 12
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups half and half
3 chai tea bags (such as Twinings® Chai)
Crust:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
Filling:
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
2 large eggs, at room temperature
Directions:
Place half-and-half in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook until mixture just begins to simmer, 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often. Remove the pan from the heat and add chai tea bags. Allow mixture to steep, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Line an 8x8-inch square pan with enough parchment paper to have overhang on all sides.
For crust, beat butter, white sugar, vanilla, and salt together in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth and combined. Add in flour and beat on low speed until mixture comes together to form a soft dough. Press dough firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven until the crust looks just set, 10 to 12 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, for filling, in the same bowl you used for crust (no need to wipe out the bowl), beat together pumpkin, brown sugar, white sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, cardamom, salt, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice with an electric mixer until smooth and combined.
Remove tea bags from the half-and-half mixture. Squeeze bags to remove as much moisture from them as possible; then discard the tea bags. With the mixer running on low speed, gradually pour the half-and-half mixture into the pumpkin mixture; beat until all is thoroughly incorporated. Add in eggs and beat on low speed until just incorporated. Once the crust has cooled for 5 minutes, pour filling evenly over the top.
Bake in the preheated oven until bars are puffed and there is only a slight jiggle in the center of the filling, 50 to 55 minutes. Allow bars to cool completely to room temperature, then refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours to overnight.
Once bars have chilled, lift them out of the pan using the parchment overhang. Cut into 12 bars.
If desired, served topped with a lightly sweetened whipped cream and an extra sprinkle of cinnamon.
Nutritional Facts:
Per Serving: 227 Calories
Total Fat 12g
Saturated Fat 7g
Cholesterol 62mg
Sodium 133mg
Total Carbohydrate 27g
Dietary Fiber 1g
Total Sugars 18g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 2mg
Calcium 56mg
Iron 1mg
Potassium 162mg
Recipe courtesy of All Recipes.com