Pumpkin Chai Latte Bars

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups half and half
• 3 chais tea bags

Instructions

1. 1

   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 pan from heat and add in chai tea bags. Allow mixture to steep, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes.

2. 2

   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.

3. 3

   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.

4. 4

   Bake in the preheated oven and until crust looks just set, 10 to 12 minutes. Allow to cool 5 minutes.

5. 5

   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.

6. 6

   Remove tea bags from half-and-half mixture. Squeeze bags to remove as much moisture from them as possible; then discard tea bags. With the mixer running on low speed, gradually pour half-and-half mixture into pumpkin mixture; beat until all is thoroughly incorporated. Add in eggs and beat on low speed until just incorporated. Once crust has cooled for 5 minutes, pour filling evenly over the top.

7. 7

   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.

8. 8

   Once bars have chilled, lift them out of the pan using the parchment overhang. Cut into 12 bars.

9. 9

   If desired, served topped with a lightly sweetened whipped cream and an extra sprinkle of cinnamon.