Caramel Shortbread Recipe

This Caramel Shortbread Recipe is truly a treat for the holidays because it's so special. Wow your friends and office mates with a traditional Scottish shortbread covered in a chocolate caramel topping.

The shortbread is baked in a square pan and can be cut as long bars or smaller squares. Dusted with a little toasted almond, they are pretty enough to wrap in cellophane and give as gifts.

This recipe doesn't make a lot of individual cookies, so you might want to think about doubling the amounts.

Caramel Shortbread Recipe

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup finely ground almonds

3/4 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
8 squares (1 ounce) good quality milk chocolate
1/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray an 8 inch square pan with cooking spray and line it with parchment.

Cream the 1/2 cup softened butter and the 1/4 cup granulated sugar until light and smooth. Pour in the all purpose flour and the ground almonds. Beat the mixture until it forms a soft dough.

Press the dough onto the bottom of the prepared baking pan, making sure it is evenly distributed. Bake the shortbread for 20 to 25 minutes, until it is pale golden brown. Take it out of the oven when it's done and leave it in the pan to cool.

Make the topping: Melt the 3/4 cup butter in a small saucepan and add the light brown sugar, corn syrup and sweetened condensed milk. Stir over low heat for 7 minutes, until the mixture has thickened and turned a pale caramel color.

Pour the caramel over the cooled shortbread, spreading it evenly over the top. Let the coated shortbread cool completely - if you are in a hurry, pop it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or so to let the caramel harden.

Melt the milk chocolate squares in a small saucepan and pour it evenly over the caramel coated shortbread, spreading it evenly over the top. Be sure to not disturb the caramel topping under the chocolate.

Sprinkle the chocolate layer with the toasted almond slivers. Let the frosted shortbread cool completely before cutting into bars or squares. It's not a bad idea to refrigerate it until the chocolate had hardened.

Good To Know - To get evenly cut cookies, score the top of the chocolate layer with the tip of a sharp knife while it is still a little warm. After you take the shortbread out of the refrigerator, cut along the scored lines to get crisp, neat edges.

More Shortbread Cookie Recipes

You Might Need:

• Kitchen Supply Aluminum Half Size Sheet Pan 18-inch by 13-inch

• Calphalon 12-by-17-Inch Rectangular Nonstick Cooling Rack

• Silpat 11-5/8-by-16-1/2-Inch Nonstick Silicone Baking Mat

• Oxo Good Grips Cookie Scoop