How to make a long week (despite a Monday bank-holiday) slightly more tolerable? Yes, you’ve got it: sticky sweet, very bananananana-y and gloriously delicious Bananas Foster Shortbread Bars. If you’ve ever been to New Orleans and ha Bananas Foster prepared table side, you’ll know that it can be a sugar-rush like no other. These Shortbread bars are no different. Find yourself a cold glass of milk or some whipped cream and enjoy. I didn’t, however, flambe the shortbread bars like the “real” Bananas Foster.
Ingredients
1 cup plus 4 tablespoons (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled to just warm
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups banana jam
1/2 cup banana chips, broken or chopped
1 cup caramel sauce (store bought is fine)
Directions
Preheat oven to 325F. Sprinkle shredded coconut on a half-sheet pan. Bake for 15 minutes until lightly golden. Remove from oven and let cool completely.
Create a foil or parchment sling for your 9 x 11-inch baking pan and spray generously with baking spray.
In a medium bowl, mix together butter, sugar, salt, egg yolks and vanilla extract with a spoon until smooth. Add in the flour and mix until just combined. Remove 2 1/2 cups of the crust mixture and press into the lined pan and set aside the remaining, covered with plastic wrap, but not in the refrigerator. Place the pan in the freezer for 30-60 minutes or so; the chilling of the crust prevents it from expanding and rising too much during baking.
Preheat oven to 325F.
Remove the crust from the freezer and place in the oven to bake for 30 minutes, or until the sides are lightly browned. Then remove from the oven, and increase oven temperature to 350F. Spread the banana jam mixture on top on the crust, and sprinkle the left-over crust dough and banana chips on top. Drizzle with caramel sauce. Bake for an additional 25-30 minutes, or until the streusel is lightly browned.
Allow the pan to cool completely before taking the bars out of the pan. Remove the bars by lifting out with the sling and cut.
