Salted Caramel Shortbread Food

SALTED CARAMEL SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 and line an 8x8 inch pan with parchment paper or lightly greased nonstick foil.
• First prepare the shortbread crust. In a medium bowl combine the sugar and butter and cream together until smooth. Add flour and mix. Stir in milk. Mixture will resemble crumbs. Press into the pre-lined pan and bake 20 minutes until golden. Remove and allow to cool.
• While crust is cooling, prepare the caramel layer.
• In a medium sauce pan melt 1 1/2 sticks of butter with 1/2 cup sugar. Add corn syrup and condensed milk. (Continue to stir throughout the entire process) Bring to a rapid boil over medium-high heat, and then decrease to medium heat (should still be bubbling) 6-8 minutes or until mixture achieves deep golden color, stirring constantly. (I recommend a whisk! - see note)
• Pour caramel onto cooled shortbread, sprinkle immediately with coarse sea salt. Allow to sit at room temperature 1-2 hours or until caramel has cooled and set. I have had success with placing in the fridge to cool to speed up the process. Cut into squares and serve or store chilled in airtight container.

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 MILLIONAIRE'S SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Grease and line a 20cm/8in square cake tin.
• Rub the butter, sugar, vanilla seeds and flour together in a bowl to make rough dough. Press the dough into the cake tin and prick all over with a fork.
• Bake the dough in the oven for five minutes, then reduce the oven to 150C/300F/Gas 2 and bake for a further 35 minutes. Once cooked, allow to cool in the tin.
• Meanwhile for the caramel, place all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to the boil for 10 minutes
• Pour the caramel mixture over the shortbread. Chill in the fridge until the caramel has cooled and hardened slightly.
• For the topping, melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Once melted, pour the chocolate over the caramel. Chill in the fridge again until the chocolate has set, then cut into 9 squares.

CARAMEL CHOCOLATE SHORTBREADS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving about a 2-inch overhang on 2 sides. Spread the coconut in a single layer on a baking sheet and set aside.
• Beat the butter, vanilla and salt with an electric mixer on medium speed in a large bowl until smooth and creamy. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix on low until just incorporated. Beat in the flour in 2 batches to make a smooth dough.
• Lightly flour your hands and press the dough into the prepared baking pan. Bake the shortbread until the edges are firm and the top is dry, 28 to 30 minutes. Top the shortbread with the caramels in an even layer. Return to the oven along with the baking sheet of coconut and cook, tossing the coconut once, until the caramels are melted and the coconut is golden, about 10 minutes.
• Spray the back of a spoon with cooking spray and use it to spread the caramel all over the shortbread. Sprinkle with the chocolate and let sit until the chips are melted, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the toasted coconut and let cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Using the foil overhang as handles, lift the shortbread out of the pan and cut into 12 pieces.

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)

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:

• Line an 18x27cm (7x11inch) rectangular cake tin with non-stick baking paper. Heat the oven to 180c.
• Place the butter and sugar for the shortbread into a bowl and beat with a wooden spoon until fluffy and light. Next, beat in the flour until it forms a soft dough. Press the mixture evenly into your cake tin and bake for 220-25 minutes until pale golden.
• Place the caramel ingredients into a large saucepan over a medium heat. Stir continuously until the sugar has dissolved, then turn the heat up and boil for 5-7 minutes, stirring all the time to ensure the mixture doesn't burn.
• The caramel is ready when it turns a deep golden colour and has thickened to a soft fudge consistency. Stir in a teaspoon of salt (trust me!) and then pour the caramel over the shortbread and leave to set for about an hour.
• Put the chocolate in a bowl on top of a small saucepan of simmering water and stir until melted. Pour the melted chocolate over the caramel, and leave in a cool place to set. Once set, cut into squares and serve, or keep in a tin for up to 1 week.

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.

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.