Salted Caramel Shortbread Cookies Food

SALTED CARAMEL SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, beat 1 1/2 cups butter with electric mixer on high speed until creamy. Beat in sugar and vanilla. On low speed, beat in flour until blended.
• Divide dough in half. Between 2 sheets of waxed paper, roll 1 portion of dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter. On ungreased cookie sheet, place cutouts about 2 inches apart. Repeat with second portion of dough.
• Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until set and just barely light golden (do not overbake). Remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks; cool completely.
• In medium microwavable bowl, microwave caramels and milk uncovered on High 2 minutes 30 seconds, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth. Frost each cookie with about 1 rounded teaspoon caramel mixture.
• In small microwavable bowl, melt chocolate and 1 tablespoon butter uncovered on High 1 minute 30 seconds, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth. Drizzle chocolate over caramel on each cookie. Sprinkle generously with salt. Let stand until set.

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 BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHUNK SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Beat the butter, granulated and brown sugars and vanilla with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, scraping down bowl as needed. Add flour and mix just until combined. Add chocolate chunks and mix just until incorporated. (Mixture will look crumbly.)
• Divide dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper, waxed paper or plastic wrap and use your hands to form the dough halves into logs about 2 to 2 1/4 inches in diameter. Chill until totally firm, about 2 hours. I hastened this along in the freezer (30 minutes, tops) but did feel that the cookies were better after resting longer. (But do know that it works!)
• When you're ready to bake the cookies, heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 1 or 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Lightly beat the egg and unwrap the chilled cookie logs to brush it over the sides. Sprinkle the coarse sugar on the open wrapping and roll the logs into it, coating them.
• Using a sharp serrated knife, cut logs into 1/2-inch-thick rounds. You're going to hit some chocolate chunks, so saw gently, squeezing the cookie to keep it from breaking if needed. Arrange cookie slices on prepared baking sheets 1 inch apart (they don't spread much) and sprinkle each with a few flakes of sea salt. Bake until the edges are just beginning to get golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool slightly before transferring the cookies you don't eat immediately to a wire rack to cool.

GLUTEN-FREE SALTED CARAMEL MILLIONAIRE'S SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line the base of a 20cm square cake tin and lightly butter the sides. Blitz the flour, butter and sugar with a pinch of salt and 2 tbsp ice cold water in a food processor until you have a clumpy mixture. Press this into the prepared tin and bake for 25 mins until light golden. Set aside to cool completely.
• For the caramel, place all of the ingredients in a saucepan. Melt everything together over a low-medium heat until the sugar has dissolved, then turn up the heat and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir continuously for 8-10 mins until the mixture has thickened and darkened a little. Pour the mixture over the biscuit base and chill for 2 hrs.
• Once the caramel is set, melt the two chocolates in separate bowls, either in short bursts in the microwave or or set over a pan of gently simmering water. Spoon both chocolates over the caramel, then gently swirl it using a cocktail stick to create a marbled effect. Chill for a further 40 mins. Bring to room temperature before slicing into 12 squares.

SALTED CARAMEL CHOCOLATE PECAN COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 3 to 4 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Beat butter and sugar together in a bowl using an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Beat in vanilla extract. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually beat in flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Press dough together in plastic wrap; roll dough into 1 1/2-inch balls.
• Place beaten eggs in one small dish and pecans in another dish. Dip each dough ball into the eggs and roll in pecans. Place dredged balls on the prepared baking sheets; press your thumb into the center of each ball.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Press each cookie again, with a spoon. Return to the oven and continue baking until golden, about 10 minutes more. Cool on wire racks.
• Combine caramels and heavy cream in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until caramels are melted and mixture is smooth, 4 to 6 minutes. Spoon the mixture into the thumbprints of the cookies and sprinkle with sea salt.
• Melt chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl in 15-second intervals, stirring after each melting, 1 to 3 minutes. Stir in oil. Drizzle chocolate over the cookies.

SALTED CARAMEL COOKIES

Steps:

• Position oven racks near the center and heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until well combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• Add the flour, baking soda and fine sea salt and mix until fully incorporated. Scrape the dough out of the bowl and divide it in half. Wrap each piece in plastic wrap, patting into a 1-inch-thick disk. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Scoop the dough into 1 1/2-tablespoon-size portions (you should have about 20). Using your hands, roll the dough into balls and place on the baking sheets, staggering dough and leaving about 2 1/2 inches between pieces.
• Wipe the bottom of a glass with a damp towel and use it to press the cookies flat (they should be about 1/3-inch thick).
• Bake the cookies, rotating the sheets halfway through baking, until the edges are golden brown, 9 to 11 minutes. Let cool completely.
• Place the unwrapped caramels and cream in a microwave-safe bowl or liquid measuring cup. Microwave the mixture for 30 to 45 seconds and stir well. Continue to microwave in 15-second increments until the caramels are fully melted and smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. (You could also do this on the stovetop in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.)
• Once the cookies have cooled completely, spoon a generous teaspoon of caramel into the center of each cookie. Spread the caramel evenly over the surface, leaving a 1/4-inch uncoated edge. Sprinkle flaky sea salt on top.
• If the caramel becomes too thick as you work, reheat in the microwave in 15-second increments, stirring in between, or over medium-low heat on the stovetop, until fluid.
• Let the cookies cool at room temperature until the caramel sets, about 15 minutes, before serving.

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)