Recipe Updated: December 29, 2020 (originally published October 8, 2009)
These squares are hands-down one of our family's favourite hand-held desserts (particularly my eldest son) and are a staple in our home at Christmas. But I'm not exactly sure why we associate these delicious squares with Christmas. With their shortbread crust, chewy caramel layer and rich chocolate topping, they are definitely a treat that can be made any time of year and leftovers seem to disappear magically.
If you're a nut lover, you can also try adding chopped pecans to the caramel layer for a Turtle-like treat! With a couple of peanut allergies in our family, we opt out of adding nuts, but the original recipe makes a delicious, safe way to give peanut-allergic people the taste of a Twix bar.
Enjoy!
Chocolate Caramel Shortbread Squares
2/3 cup butter, softened (no substitutes)
1/4 cup white sugar
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter (no substitutes)
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 tbsp light corn syrup
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)
1-1/4 cups milk chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper and set aside. Note: The parchment paper will make it easier to remove the squares from the pan, allowing you to easily lift the whole batch out by the parchment paper and cut them on a large cutting board.
Shortbread Layer
In a medium bowl, mix together 2/3 cup butter, white sugar and flour until evenly crumbly. Press mixture into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 20 minutes.
Caramel Layer
When the crust is almost done baking, prepare the caramel layer. In a 2-quart saucepan, combine 1/2 cup butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and sweetened condensed milk. Bring to a boil; stirring constantly. Continue to boil for 5 minutes; stirring constantly so the mixture doesn't burn.
Remove from heat and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon for about 3 minutes. Pour over baked crust (warm or cool). Set aside until the caramel mixture begins to firm up.
Chocolate Layer
Place chocolate chips in a double-boiler and heat until chips are melted, and chocolate is smooth. Pour chocolate over caramel layer and spread evenly to cover completely. Leave on the counter to allow the chocolate to harden (or chill in the fridge). Cut into 1" squares before chocolate layer totally hardens (otherwise it will crack) or carefully heat a knife under hot water, dry it well and cut the squares.
I am salivating! Will let you know how it turns out. Thanks for the tip on cutting when cool, not cold.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteLarissa, these are SOOOO good!! It took a couple of times for me to finally learn when to cut these squares. The first few times the chocolate would crack and go all over the place. We'd eat the square still (we're not crazy!) but they weren't appropriate to serve to company.
ReplyDeleteThere's another recipe out there that uses Lyle's syrup but I don't like having to find a specific product each time I want to make it. This one uses ingredients that you usually have in the house.
These look really good. I'm a bookworm,too, but not passionate about baking. :-) I do it but it's not a love.
ReplyDeleteReading, however, LOVE. I love the Mark Twain quote on the sidebar. I just never quite understand why you wouldn't want to read if you could. ;-) I've not read The Good Daughters yet. I'm going to check out some of your reviews.
Welcome, Pamela! I'm glad you found my blog. I'm a total reading addict (I'm on my 95th book of 2010) but I do enjoy to cook and bake (I find it quite cathartic after a stressful day). I hope you find lots of new reads from my book reviews. :)
ReplyDelete