Better Than Twix Bars
By Lizzie on November 30, 2017
Who doesn’t love candy? Not me, as you can tell by now 🙂 I love anything with chocolate, and especially caramel. The taste combination is one of my favorites, and always the one I choose in a box of chocolates 🙂
One of my favorite things to do besides baking, is to read cookbooks, look at baking magazines, and peruse the internet for ideas about new recipes. This recipe came to me after seeing a lot of bloggers post Millionaire Shortbread recipes. I loved the idea, but thought I could kick it up a notch by making caramel from scratch, and adding salt to cut down on the sweetness. When I was finished, I realized the taste is just like a Twix candy bar, but SO much better!! When I started creating the recipe, I realized that my candy thermometer wasn’t working, so I timed cooking the caramel and stirring it constantly so it didn’t burn or get too hard. Making homemade caramel can be tricky because of all of the stages it goes through, and a candy thermometer is almost always essential. If you don’t have one, or have been afraid to make it from scratch, this recipe is a great way to start learning how to make it. These bars are so luscious and sweet, you will fall in love with them 🙂
Check out all the yummy ingredients!
After you have made the shortbread dough, prick it many times with a fork to keep it from bubbling up while baking.
How gorgeous is this caramel?
Spread the caramel over the shortbread crust.
Spread the melted chocolate over the caramel, then put the pan in the fridge until the bars are cold and can be cut.
Cut the bars into any size bar you like. Look at that caramel oozing out 🙂
I bought this fabulous chocolate from King Arthur’s website!! Guittard is absolutely yummy and perfect for your baking.
Look how pretty the bars look after I cut them 🙂
These would make a perfect gift for your friends or family!
Better Than Twix Bars
Makes: 30 bars Prep time: 45 minutes Bake time: 24 minutes
Ingredients
Shortbread
2 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, melted
Caramel
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup half and half
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt
Chocolate topping
16 ounces semi sweet chocolate chunks or chocolate chips
1 teaspoon unsalted butter
Directions
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a 13″x9″ pan with parchment paper, leaving some to hang over the pan so you can lift the bars out easily after they are cool.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Add the melted butter and stir to combine. Press into the bottom of your prepared pan. With a fork, prick the dough at 1 inch intervals to let steam out while baking. Bake for 22 to 24 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. Cool the crust for about 30 minutes.
To make the caramel, place all ingredients into a heavy bottomed sauce pan. Cook over medium to medium low heat for 16 to 20 minutes. If you have a candy thermometer, the caramel should come to 236 and 239 degrees. Spread the caramel evenly over the crust. Be very careful not to get any of the caramel on your skin, as it will give you a terrible burn. Let the pan cool for about an hour to hour and a half before you spread the chocolate on top.
Melt the chocolate and butter in a microwave for a minute, then stir. You may need another 30 seconds or so to melt the chocolate completely. Spread the chocolate over the cooled caramel and shortbread. Refrigerate the bars for a few hours, or until they are cold enough to cut. I had to use a very sharp knife to get through the cold chocolate and keep the bars in tact! Store in the fridge, or wrap in wax paper and foil and freeze for up to a few months.
no comments