Simple Savory & Satisfying: Chocolate Caramel Shortbread (or in other words, Twix Bars)

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Chocolate Caramel Shortbread (or in other words, Twix Bars)

I think these were one of the first recipes I found when I joined Pinterest and I just finally got around to making them. Chocolate, caramel, shortbread . . . needless to say these didn't last long in our house. The only change I think I'd make would be salting the tops next time. I love a little salt with my chocolate and caramel.

Recipe adapted from here.

Ingredients:
Shortbread
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg yolk, whisked
1 2/3 cups flour

Caramel
7 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Chocolate Topping
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Shortbread
Grease an 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter, sugar, and salt. Add egg yolk and combine. Pour in flour and combine. The mixture will be crumbly. Use your hands to turn the mixture into a dough. Press the dough into the pan. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until the edges turn a very light brown. Allow to cool completely.

Caramel
In a heavy bottom sauce pan, combine butter, brown sugar, sugar, corn syrup, salt, and cream. Bring to a boil, stir continuously. Make sure the sugar dissolves. Using a candy thermometer, bring mixture to 245 degrees, stirring frequently. Remove caramel from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Allow the caramel to cool for approximate 10 minutes then pour over the shortbread.

Refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes.

Chocolate Topping
Place the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 30 seconds, stir, and repeat until the chocolate is melted and smooth. (1 minute, 30 seconds worked for me). Pour over caramel and shortbread. (Top with kosher salt, if desired).

Refrigerate for 1 hour or until the dessert has set.

Remove dessert from pan. With a knife, cut into bite-size pieces.

I'm not going to lie, storage of these things is a little tricky. If you keep them in fridge, the caramel gets too hard to eat. If you store them at room temperature, the caramel melts and you end up with a gooey mess. So I stored them in an airtight container in the fridge then set them out for about 10 to 15 minutes before serving.