Salted Caramel Chocolate Bars on a Chocolate Chip Shortbread Crust - In the Naughty File

Salted-Caramel-Chocolate-Bars on a Chocolate-Chip-Shortbread-Crust

These go in the naughty file.  I can't find any way of justifying this treat.  None. Nope. Nada.  However, I think if you are going to have a treat, it should be worth it.  And boy, are these worth it!  Make them only if you absolutely KNOW you have somewhere to take half the pan. I'm so serious about this, because if not, you WILL eat the whole pan!  And you will regret eating the whole pan, because all the running in the world will not make up for the amount of calories that you have just consumed. 

These are not hard to make, but they do take time.  You won't whip these out 15 minutes before company arrives.  However, if you are asked to make something for the school bake sale, please, please make these.  Everyone will thank you.

I've seen recipes for similar bars that call for melting Kraft Caramels with a little cream.  That is a fine way to make these and quite tasty.  However, if you can stand a little adventure and a little more time in the kitchen, make your caramel.  It isn't hard.  The recipe I use, I created a few years ago when I didn't have the ingredients that most recipes call for.  That happens to me a lot.  It doesn't bother me much, because I don't mind experimenting in the kitchen.  I will often study a few recipes to figure out what they have in common and make sure that I understand the ratios, and then I work with what I have on hand.  This time it turned out so well that I kept it as my standard caramel recipe.  The rest is a pretty standard shortbread recipe along with an easy chocolate topping.  Easy Peasy!

Shortbread crust (Makes me want to sing out, Mama's little baby loves short bread shortbread, mama's little baby loves. . .  wait, that's shortnin' isn't it?-- Never mind.  the song is too old for me anyway.)

  1 c. butter
 1/2 c brown sugar
 2 c. flour 
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Cream sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add vanilla.  Once the vanilla is incorporated add flour. The dough will pull away from the bowl. Add your chips and mix just until incorporated. Press dough into a jelly roll pan or large cookie sheet.  It will look like it's not enough.  Keep pressing and working the dough to the corners until the pan is covered and it looks fairly even. Poke holes in it with a fork.  Bake at 325 for 16-20 min.

Allow crust to cool while you make the caramel. 

Caramel Filling 

1 C. granulated sugar
1 1/3 C packed brown sugar
1 C. dark corn syrup (you can use light, but I think the flavor is richer with dark)
1/2 C. evaporated milk
1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 C. butter
1 1/4 tsp vanilla extract 

In a medium sized pot combine sugars, corn syrup, milks and butter bring to a boil. Stir gently, if this stuff pops up on you- it will hurt.  Keep stirring gently until it reaches the firm ball stage.  This will register between 244-248 degrees, this takes 15 minutes for me. Remove from the heat.  Add vanilla.  Pour over the cookie crust and spread evenly. Cool.

Chocolate Topping

1 bag semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips. (12oz)
2 tsp butter
OR
1 Bag of chocolate chips
2 squares of melting chocolate (the bark that is usually sold during the holidays)
coarse salt - kosher or sea salt

Whichever you choose, melt the chips and the butter or the chips and the melting chocolate in a the microwave on high for 30 seconds. Remove and stir.  You can heat an additional 10 seconds if needed and stir again.  When all the chips are melted poor over the cooled caramel. Spread evenly and sprinkle immediately with coarse sea salt.  Cool and allow the chocolate to set up.  

These bars are best if left for 6 hours-overnight.  It's shocking that I know that, because I am usually so impatient that I eat them warm.  :)