These Caramel Chocolate Shortbread Bars are freakin’ delicious.  The homemade caramel was divine; once you taste it, you won’t believe how easily you whipped it up.  While the process is a bit time-consuming (both the caramel and chocolate layers need ample time in the fridge to set), the recipe is perfectly manageable.  Each layer was delicious and blending together perfectly, although next time I might halve the chocolate recipe (it was just a tad too rich).

My little guinea pigs who tasted these along the way (ahem, hungry hungry sisters) loved them.  My pictures of the first few steps disappeared when my computer freaked out during the import (poor old girl), but please comment if you have any questions!  These are awesome and I’ll absolutely make these again … probably very, very soon.

Caramel Chocolate Shortbread Bars

Recipe adapted from Tracey’s Culinary Adventures, a truly wonderful blog!

For the Shortbread
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar

For the Caramel 
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk

For the Chocolate
8 oz chocolate, finely chopped (I used Hershey’s Special Dark Chocolate Chips) 
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces

For the Shortbread

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.  In a separate bowl, cream together butter and sugar for two-ish minutes.  Add you dry ingredients bit by bit, mixing on low speed until just combined.  Press cookie dough into the bottom of a rectangular baking pan and bake at 350 degrees for fifteen to eighteen minutes.  The cookie should be golden brown when you take it out of the oven.

For the Caramel Sauce

Combine all of your ingredients in a medium sauce pan.  Warm over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the butter is melted.  Crank up the heat to medium-high until the sauce comes to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.  Whisk constantly until the sauce thickens and turns a caramel color; mine took around ten minutes.  Pour the caramel over the cooled cookie and spread evenly.  Stick the pan in the fridge, to allow the caramel to set.  If it’s not cool enough, the caramel layer will melt when you add the chocolate.

For the Chocolate Top

Heat chocolate, corn syrup, and butter in a double boiler, stirring occasionally until the butter is melted and ingredients are combined.  The sauce should be glossy.  Pour this over chilled shortbread and caramel, and put it back in the fridge until completely set.

Slice them up and enjoy!