Salted Caramel Shortbread Bars Food

SALTED CARAMEL SHORTBREAD BARS

Steps:

• Preheate oven to 350°F. Line a 9x9 inch baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
• Put all shortbread ingredients in a large bowl and using a pastry blender or two knives, work together until you get crumbles that start to turn into a dough-like consistency. Press the mixture firmly into prepared pan and bake for 28-32 minutes, or until it's just slightly golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.
• While cooling, make the caramel layer. Mix together all ingredients expect vanilla in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring constantly. Take off the heat and mix in the vanilla and sea salt. Pour the caramel layer over the base layer of shortbread and allow to cool completely. You can place it in the refrigerator or freezer at this point to speed up the cooling process.
• Place the chocolate chips in a medium microwave safe bowl and heat on high for 30 seconds. Remove from microwave and stir. Repeat the process until chocolate is melted and smooth. Place the chocolate in a plastic bag or piping bag and cut off a small bit of the tip. Drizzle over the caramel layer and sprinkle generously with sea salt. Immediately Chill before cutting into one inch bars.

SALTED CARAMEL PEANUT BARS

Steps:

• Butter a 9 1/2-by-13-inch rimmed baking sheet or quarter sheet pan and line it with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the 2 long sides. Then butter the parchment.
• Whisk the flour, cornstarch, kosher salt and cinnamon in a large bowl.
• Beat the butter and sugar in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat to combine, scraping down the sides as needed. Slowly add the flour mixture and beat on low until the dough is just combined; do not overwork.
• Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet, spreading it out as evenly as possible with a silicone spatula. Cover with plastic wrap, then use your hands to press and flatten the dough into a smooth even layer. Pull back the plastic wrap and use a fork to prick the dough all over. Cover again and refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour.
• Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.
• Uncover the dough and bake, rotating the baking sheet from front to back halfway through, until golden, 45 to 50 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Combine the caramels and cream in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until melted and smooth, about 2 minutes. Pour the mixture over the shortbread and spread it evenly. Immediately sprinkle with the peanuts and a large pinch of flaky salt. Gently push down on the topping to make sure it sticks to the caramel. Let cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Use the parchment overhang to gently lift the shortbread and slide it onto a cutting board. Remove the parchment and cut into 24 squares. Store the bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

SALTED CARAMEL SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, then line with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on 2 sides; butter the parchment.
• Beat 2 1/2 sticks butter, the granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low; add the flour and beat until just incorporated.
• Transfer the dough to the prepared baking dish and set a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface. Press into an even layer, then peel off the plastic. Bake until golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool slightly, then remove from the pan using the parchment. Cut into triangles.
• Make the caramel: Combine the remaining 1/2 stick butter, the brown sugar, corn syrup, heavy cream, espresso powder and kosher salt in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until a candy thermometer registers 235 degrees F, about 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla and the vinegar. Let cool 5 minutes, then drizzle over the shortbread. Sprinkle with sea salt.

SALTED PECAN SHORTBREAD SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line two 13x9-in. baking pans with foil, letting ends extend up sides of pan., Place flour, confectioners' sugar, cornstarch and salt in a food processor; pulse until blended. Add butter; pulse until butter is the size of peas. Divide mixture between prepared pans; press onto bottom of pans. Bake 10-12 minutes or until light brown. Cool on a wire rack., For filling, melt butter in a large saucepan. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; cook and stir until sugar is completely dissolved, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in chocolate chips, cream and vanilla until smooth. Stir in pecans. Spread over crusts., Bake 12-15 minutes or until filling is bubbly. Cool completely in pans on wire racks. Using foil, lift the shortbread out of pans. Gently peel off foil; cut each shortbread into 24 bars. Store in an airtight container.

SALTED CARAMEL BUTTER BARS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the butter and sugars. Using mixer on medium speed, beat together until creamy. Add the vanilla and beat until combined. Sift the flour into the butter mixture and beat on low speed until a smooth soft dough forms. Spray a 9×13 inch baking pan lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Press one-third of the dough evenly into the pan to form a bottom crust. Preheat to 325°F Bake until firm and the edges are a pale golden brown approx 20 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool about 15 minutes. While the bottom crust is baking and the remaining dough is chilling, make the caramel filling. Place the unwrapped caramels in a microwave-safe bowl. Add the cream. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Remove from the microwave and stir until smooth. If caramels are not completely melted, microwave on high for 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until smooth (I did the melting in a saucepan stovetop since I don't microwave). Pour the caramel filling over the crust. If you are going to salt the caramel sprinkle it on caramel layer now. Remove the remaining chilled dough from the refrigerator and crumble it evenly over the caramel. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the filling is bubbly and the crumbled shortbread topping is firm and lightly golden, about 25 - 30 minutes. Let cool before cutting into squares.

CARAMEL SHORTBREAD SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 C).
• In a medium bowl, mix together 2/3 cup butter, white sugar, and flour until evenly crumbly. Press into a 9 inch square baking pan. Bake for 20 minutes.
• In a 2 quart saucepan, combine 1/2 cup butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and sweetened condensed milk. Bring to a boil. Continue to boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon for about 3 minutes. Pour over baked crust (warm or cool). Cool until it begins to firm.
• Place chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 1 minute, then stir and continue to heat and stir at 20 second intervals until chocolate is melted and smooth. Pour chocolate over the caramel layer and spread evenly to cover completely. Chill. Cut into 1 inch squares. These need to be small because they are so rich.

SALTED CARAMEL-CASHEW BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F and line an 8-inch baking dish with foil. Whisk together flour, powdered sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Cut butter into 1/2-inch pieces; sprinkle over flour mixture and use a pastry cutter to cut in evenly until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add dough to prepared baking dish; use a piece of parchment to press dough into an even layer. Bake for 23 minutes, until crust is lightly golden. Cool on wire rack.
• Place butter and brown sugar in a heavy saucepan. Melt over medium heat, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, until boiling. Once mixture boils, reduce temperature to medium-low and let bubble for 3 more minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; carefully add salt and vanilla (mixture will bubble up). Quickly pour caramel over shortbread layer and spread with an offset spatula. Top with cashews, pressingly gently to adhere; sprinkle with sea salt. Chill in the refrigerator until completely set, about 1 hour.
• Carefully lift foil and place bars on a cutting board; use a sharp knife to cut into squares. Store leftover squares in an airtight container at room temperature.

SALTED CARAMEL SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Make the caramel. Place sugar in heavy bottom pan on gentle heat, melt and cook until dark amber brown. Add sea salt and pour immediately onto a sheet of silicone paper to cool. When cold and brittle smash up into small pieces or whizz in a blender - not to fine powder to ensure there are plenty of pieces in the mix.
• Add flour, sugar, softened butter to mixer bowl and mix until just coming together. Add caramel pieces. Now add a dash of double cream to bring the mixture together to a cookie dough consistency.
• Chill for half an hour (not absolutely necessary) and roll out to preferred thickness. Cut into rounds, place on non stick baking sheet and bake at 170 for 10 - 15 mins until golden.
• Remove and allow biscuits to cool on the sheet until the can be safely transferred to a cooling rack. Makes around 40 biscuits (depending on preferred thickness)