Chai Latte Bars (Recipe Inspired by THE EVER AFTER)

The recipe inspired by The Ever After has to be based around a latte. It has to.

After all, that’s what started the story. Josie was waiting for her husband to bring her a latte when she discovered the incriminating texts on his phone. If it weren’t for that fateful latte from Starbucks, Josie might never have known about her husband’s affair. And we might never have had such a great book to read.

I’m not a coffee drinker, so the fact that I felt I should base my recipe around a latte was a bit of a stumbling block for me. But, hey, I like a challenge!

One of my good friends makes the best lattes in the world. I attribute it to her fancy espresso machine (which she will dutifully lug to my house when invited over for a meal or treats) and the fact that she is European, since Europeans are seemingly more sophisticated in all things, including brewing caffeinated beverages. I thought about asking her to do a guest post with her fabulous latte, but I wanted to create something more than just a drink for this recipe.

So, it was back to the drawing board. The Ever After is so good at making you feel connected to the story, and I thought about what I would want if I were going through Josie’s situation. While various comfort foods came to mind (take-out Chinese; Ziti ala Colucci; pints of Haagen-Dazs), I realized that what I would really want is…my best friend. Josie’s best friend is there for her to lean on, and it made me think about my own awesome best friend and how we’re always there for each other.

Said best friend also happens to love any and all things chai, so I decided to combine her favorite flavor with a latte, and ta-daaaaa: Chai Latte Bars were born.

These bars are infused with the taste of both coffee and chai spice. I don’t even like chai that much, and I thought these things were incredible. I especially love the texture. Three eggs make for a thick and fluffy cake-like crumb, and the combination of brown and white sugars makes for a chewy bite with a bit of crunch at the corners and edges.

When making the recipe, I recommend using a whisk to combine the wet ingredients, then switching to a spatula or wooden spoon to fold in the dry ingredients. Using a whisk for the dry-into-wet step adds too much air into the batter, and you want to be sure to get that dense, brownie-like texture by building a little gluten.

Also, be sure to add the coffee granules to the melted butter while it’s still hot; it’s the best way to infuse the entire batter with that wonderful flavor.

(Side note: My best friend has since informed me that chai lattes do not actually contain coffee. I was completely flabbergasted and just a little dismayed to find this out. However, I decided to keep the coffee in this recipe because the flavor of these bars is awesome. So, for all of you reading this post and screaming at me, “There is no coffee in chai lattes!” please know that you are absolutely correct. And that I am choosing to ignore this fact.)

You could dust powdered sugar over the cooled bars, or even add a glaze before serving. However, I loved them just as they were, without any added sweetness. I also didn’t want to hide the crust’s lovely golden caramel color.

The bars are delicious at room temperature, but I think they are even better when they are still a little warm from the oven. You could also microwave them for 5-10 seconds before serving. This recipe makes 12 medium sized bars, and 16 small bars.

Chai Latte Bars

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Ingredients

  

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tsp instant coffee
• 1 cup granulated white sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tsp ground cardamom
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Instructions

 

PREP INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat oven to 350F and place rack in the center of the oven.
• Spray 8x8 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray or baking spray.
• Mix together cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, baking powder, and salt into a small prep dish and set aside.

BAKING INSTRUCTIONS

• Cut the ¾ cup of butter into small cubes and place in microwavable bowl. Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring in between, until butter is completely melted.
• Whisk the instant coffee into the melted butter while it is still hot. You will see some granules in the butter, so let the mixture rest a minute or two, then whisk again. The melted butter should turn darker now.
• Transfer the butter mixture into a medium mixing bowl and whisk in the white and brown sugars. Then whisk in vanilla extract.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking briskly in between additions until batter is thickened.
• In a different, smaller bowl, whisk together the flour and spice mixture until incorporated.
• Using a spatula, gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet with short, quick strokes until all ingredients are combined. Do not overmix.
• Pour batter into prepared baking dish and place in oven. Bake 35-40 mins, or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove pan to cool on wire rack.