Salted Caramel Butter Bars

Salted Caramel is kind of the rage right now.  A rage that I whole heartedly embrace.  This recipe is not at all for the diet minded.  It uses and entire POUND of butter.  Whatever, I don't care.  I will eat it anyway.

4 sticks (1 lbs.) butter, at room temperature
1 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. vanilla
4 c. flour
14 oz. bag caramels, unwrapped
1/3 c. heavy whipping cream
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbsp. coarse sea salt

1.  Preheat oven to 325.  Spray a 9X13" baking dish with cooking spray.
2.  In a large bowl combine the butter and sugars with an electric mixer.  Beat until creamy.  Add vanilla and beat until combined.  Sift the flour into the butter & beat until dough forms.
3.  Press half of the dough evenly onto the bottom of the prepared baking dish.  Refrigerate the other half of the dough.  Bake the bottom crust for 20 minutes until firm and the edges are a pale golden brown.  Remove from the oven and cool for 15 minutes.
4.  Place the caramels and the cream in a microwave safe bowl.  Microwave on HIGH  for 1 minute.  Remove from microwave and stir.  If the caramels aren't melted, return to microwave and heat at 30 second intervals, stirring between each heating until caramels melt.
5.  Pour caramel over slightly cooled bottom crust.  Sprinkle with coarse salt.  Crumble the remaining dough over the top of the caramel.  Bake 25-30 until filling is bubbly and the crumble topping is lightly golden brown.  Cool completely before serving.