Chocolate Caramel Shortbread Recipes

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Lightly grease and line a 20-22cm square or rectangular baking tin with a lip of at least 3cm.
• To make the shortbread, mix 250g plain flour and 75g caster sugar in a bowl. Rub in 175g softened butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
• Knead the mixture together until it forms a dough, then press into the base of the prepared tin.
• Prick the shortbread lightly with a fork and bake for 20 minutes or until firm to the touch and very lightly browned. Leave to cool in the tin.
• To make the caramel, place 100g butter or margarine, 100g light muscovado sugar and the can of condensed milk in a pan and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved. Continually stir with a spatula to make sure no sugar sticks to the bottom of the pan. (This can leave brown specks in the caramel but won't affect the flavour.)
• Turn up the heat to medium high, stirring all the time, and bring to the boil, then lower the heat back to low and stirring continuously, for about 5-10 minutes or until the mixture has thickened slightly. Pour over the shortbread and leave to cool.
• For the topping, melt 200g plain or milk chocolate slowly in a bowl over a pan of hot water. Pour over the cold caramel and leave to set. Cut into squares or bars with a hot knife.

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.

Steps:

• Grease and line the bottom of a 23-cm/9inch shallow square cake tin. Place the butter, flour and sugar in a food processor ans process until it starts to blind together. Press into the pan and level the top. Bake in a preheated oven, 180'C,350'F/Gas Mark 4, for 20-25 minutes or until golden.
• Meanwhile, make the caramel. Place the butter, sugar, syrup and condensed milk in a heavy-based saucepan. Heat gently until the sugar has melted. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 6-8 minutes, stirring, or until very thick. Pour over the shortbread and chill in the refridgerator for 2 hours, or until firm.
• Melt the chocolate and allow to cool a little, then spread over the caramel. Chill in the refridgerator for 2 hours, or until set. Cut the shortbread into 12 pieces using a sharp knife.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325*.
• Lightly grease a 9x13" glass baking pan or coat with nonstick spray.
• Line the pan with aluminum foil, letting the foil overhang the two narrow ends by about 2".
• For the shortbread; In a large bowl, with electric mixer on low, then medium speed, beat together the butter, powdered sugar, salt and vanilla until light and very well blended, about 2 minutes.
• Beat or stir in the flour until evenly incorporated.
• Firmly press the dough into the baking dish.
• Lay a sheet of wax paper over the dough, then press it out to the edges and smooth on top.Peel off and discard the paper.
• Bake in the middle of the oven for 27- 32 minutes or until pale golden all over and slightly darker at the edges.
• Transfer the dish to wire rack and set
• aside.
• FOR THE CARAMEL. In a small, heavy saucepan, combine the cream, butter and salt. Bring just to a simmer over medium-high heat; immediately remove from the heat.
• In a medium, heavy saucepan, combine half of the sugar and the corn syrup over medium heat, stirring constantly.
• When the sugar is full incorporated and liquefies, stir in about half of the remaining sugar.
• When this sugar liquefies, stir in the remaining sugar,.
• Cook, stirring and scraping down the pan sides, for 5-7 minutes more, or until all the sugar liquefies,, bubbles and turns a medium tan color.
• Immediately remove from heat,.
• Working carefully to avoid splatters and steam, pour the hot cream mixture into the caramel, stirring and scraping the pan bottom and sides with a long handled wooden spon until the caramel completely dissolves.
• Rinse all the sugar crystals from the spoon.
• Return the caramel mixture to the burner over medium-high heat.
• Insert a candy thermometer into the mixture, being sure the tip doesn't touch the bottom of the pan. continue cooking, stirring gently until the thermometer reqisters 246*-2467*.
• Immediately remove the pan from the heat. Stir in vanilla.
• Being careful ot to scrape any caramel or sugar crystals from the pan sides, pour the caramel through a fine sieve over the shortbread.
• Tip the baking dish back and forth to distribute the caramel evenly.
• Sprinkle the macadamia nuts evenly over the caramel.
• Let stand until the caramel cools to warm Using the palm of your hand, press down on the nuts to embed them.
• For the glaze: in a small microwave safe bowl, microwave the cream and corn syrup on 100% power for 30 seconds, or until very hot but not boiling; set aside.
• In a small microwave safe bowl, microwave the chocolates and butter on 100% power for 1 minute. Stir well. Continue microwaving on 50% power, stirring at 30 second intervals.
• Stop microwaving before the chocolates completely melt and let the residual heat finish the job. Slowly add the cream mixture into the chocolate mixture until well blended and smooth. Stir in the vanilla. Spread the glaze evenly over the cooled caramel. Let stand until complete cooled.
• Refrigerate the shortbread until chilled. Using the overhanging foil as ahandles, transfer the shortbread to a cutting board. Carefully peel off and discard the foil.
• Using a large, sharp knife, cut the shortbread into 36 bars, wipe knife between cuts.
• Store in an airtight container in a cool place for up to 1 week,.

Steps:

• Mix 2/3 cup butter, 1/4 cup sugar& 1 1/4 cups flour until the mixture is crumbly.
• Pat into a 9" pan.
• Bake at 350F for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile bring the caramel ingredients to a boil and boil for 5 minutes then pour over the shortbread base.
• Cool.
• Melt chocolate in a double boiler and pour over the cooled caramel shortbread Cool- cut into small squares.