Day 9: Caramel Chocolate Shortbread with Helen

Hi Newfoundlander at Heart readers, I'm Helen from Eat.Enjoy.Live. When Margot asked for suggestions for her Christmas cookie countdown I just knew this one would be a winner. OK technically its a bar, but we love them just as much as cookies, right? These are sticky  gooey and oh so sweet; kind perfect in my book. Cut them up into small squares, place on a gorgeous plate, and invite people round for a festival dessert cocktail party.

Just a warning: The original recipe serves 12, but the portions were far to big, eventually I managed to make it serve 40 (they turn out like Petit-fours). They take like 3 hours to make, but are well worth it!

Caramel Chocolate Shortbread
Recipe passed down from my Grandmother
Serves - 40
Ingredients:
For Shortbread:
115g unsalted butter
175g plain flour
55g golden caster sugar

Filling and topping:

200g butter
115g golden caster sugar
3 tablespoons golden syrup
400g condensed milk
200g plain chocolate, broken into pieces
Method:
Preheat the oven to gas mark 4. Grease and line the base of a 9-inch square shallow cake tin.
Place the butter, flour and sugar in a food processor and process until they begin to bind together. Press the mixture over the base of the prepared tin. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until golden.

Meanwhile, make the filling. Place the butter, sugar, golden syrup and condensed milk in a saucepan and heat gently until the sugar had dissolved. Bring to the boil and simmer for 6-8 minutes, stirring consistently, until the mixture becomes very thick. Pour the filling over the base and chill in the fridge until firm.

Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl, set the bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water and heat until melted. Spread the melted chocolate over the filling. Leave to set, then cut into slices.

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and New Year!