Salted Caramel Pear Pie Bars

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with baking spray. Line the pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the long sides for easy removal. (5 minutes)

In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, white sugar, and vanilla extract with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl's sides and bottom. Add flour and salt; mix on low until just combined. Refrigerate the dough for 10 minutes. (15 minutes)

With slightly damp hands, press about 2/3 of the crust mixture evenly into the prepared pan's bottom. Refrigerate the pan for 5-7 minutes. Keep the remaining 1/3 of the crust mixture in the fridge. (10 minutes)

Bake the crust in the preheated oven until golden brown. Place on a wire rack to cool, leaving the oven on. (25 minutes)

For the filling, toss the pear slices with lemon juice in a large bowl. Add brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and a pinch of salt; toss well to coat. Spread the pears evenly over the baked crust. (10 minutes)

Tear the reserved crust mixture into small pieces. Combine the walnuts with the dough using your hands, and scatter the mixture evenly over the pears. (5 minutes)

Bake in the preheated oven until the pears are fork-tender and the topping is golden brown, rotating the pan halfway through. Cool completely in the pan. (60 minutes)

For the caramel sauce, combine sugar and water in a medium, heavy saucepan over medium-low heat; cook, stirring often, until the sugar dissolves. (5 minutes)

Increase heat to medium-high; bring to a boil-without stirring, but instead, regularly swirling the pan and occasionally brushing down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush. Cook, swirling and brushing regularly, until the syrup turns a deep amber color. (15 minutes)

Gently pour in the heavy cream (the caramel will foam and bubble vigorously). Add the butter pieces and stir gently until smooth. Remove the caramel from heat and stir in the kosher salt. (5 minutes)

When ready to serve, use the parchment overhang to lift the slab from the pan and slice into bars. Drizzle generously with the homemade salted caramel sauce.