3 October 2011 Fleur de Sel, Caramel and Chocolate Shortbread

Fleur de Sel, Caramel and Chocolate Shortbread

October 3, 2011 By

One of my favorite flavor combinations is salt and caramel.  These bars can be created in a snap, and can be made using store-bought caramel if time is of the essence (or if you simply cannot wait to sink your teeth into the salty, caramel, chocolaty treats).  Splurge with high-end sea salt for this recipe.

Shortbread ingredients:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Assembly ingredients:

  • 1 cup homemade or store-bought caramel
  • 12-ounce bag of milk chocolate chips
  • ½ tsp. fleur de sel, or other coarse sea salt

Shortbread directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk the flour and the salt.  Set aside for later use.
  3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter with the paddle attachment for 1 minute.  Add the confectioners’ sugar and mix for 2 minutes, or until smooth.  Incorporate the vanilla extract.  Add the flour mixture on low speed and mix just until crumbly – do not over mix or tough shortbread will result.
  4. Line a 9×13 pan with aluminum foil, allowing for extra foil to overhang on each end of the pan for easy unmolding later.  Coat the foil with cooking spray, or butter the foil well.
  5. Press the dough into the pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the shortbread is just lightly browned.  Cool for about 20 minutes.

Assembly directions:

  1. Spread the caramel over the cooled shortbread and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
  2. While the caramel shortbread is chilling, melt the chocolate chips in the microwave for about 90 seconds, stirring every 30 seconds to ensure every chips is melted.  Pour the chocolate over the caramel layer then spread evenly using an offset spatula.
  3. Put the pan back in the refrigerator to cool the chocolate slightly, about 5 minutes.  Chocolate should be cool enough so that the salt won’t “melt” into it, but soft enough that the salt is able to adhere to it. Sprinkle the fleur de sel evenly over the chocolate.
  4. Unmold the shortbread by pulling the foil out of the pan using the excess foil.  Cut into 18 bars using a sharp knife.

Make 18 bars.

Notes:  I have been using LaSalamandra Dulce de Leche for a few years as it is delicious and perhaps better than any caramel I have made.  Caramel found in the produce section of most grocery stores can also be used.

Inspiration for this recipe is based on Salted Chocolate and Caramel Shortbread Bars by Barbara Kiebel of Creative Culinary.

Filed Under: American, Chocolate, Desserts Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Press-In Shortbread Pie Crust (Martha Stewart Living November 2009)

October 24, 2009 By

Saw this simple recipe in the November 2009 issue of Living and thought it’d be perfect for Thanksgiving and holiday pies, like my maple syrup pie.

Ingredients:

  • 2 ounces (4 tbs) butter, softened
  • 3 tbs sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp salt

Directions:

  1. Stir together butter and sugar in a medium bowl.  Stir in yolk.  Add flour and salt, and stir until mixture is dry and crumbly.  Press dough into bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie dish.  Freeze until firm, about 20 minutes.  Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Bake, rotating halfway through, just until crust turns golden, 20-22 minutes.  Let cool in dish on a wire rack.
  3. Fill with chosen filling.
Filed Under: Desserts Tagged With: , , , , ,
13 September 2009 Chocolate Walnut Crumb Bar

Chocolate Walnut Crumb Bar

September 13, 2009 By

These Chocolate Walnut Crumb Bars are the bomb. They’re perfect for summer parties, hostess gift or to bring to potlucks. The bars are rich with a shortbread-like crust and a rich, chewy, chocolate center. They can easily be made the day before you need to serve them as they keep well covered in foil at room temperature. 

This simple recipe requires no eggs, which is oftentimes an ingredient I don’t keep on hand. Don’t want nuts in the recipe, simply skip them, the bars are delectable without them.  

Shortcut: Chocolate chips and condensed milk can be microwaved for 2 minutes instead of cooked on the stovetop.

Chocolate Crumb Bars

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup ( 2 sticks ) butter, softened
  • 2 cups flour
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • 2 cups ( 12-ounce package ) semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
  • 1 ¼ cups ( 14-ounce can ) condensed milk
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts
Chocolate Crumb Bars
Shortbread Crust
Chocolate Layer
Baked Bars

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. 
  3. Add the flour, sugar and salt and mix until the butter is completely incorporated and the mixture is crumbly, about 1 minute – don’t overmix. 
  4. With floured fingers, press 2 cups of the crumb mixture onto bottom of greased 13′ x 9′ x 2′ pan (I use glass); reserve remaining crumb mixture for the topping. Bake for 10-12 minutes until lightly golden.
  5. Warm 1 ½ cups chips and condensed milk in a saucepan over medium-low heat until smooth, about 3 minutes. Stir in vanilla. Spread the chocolate mixture over the crust.
  6. Add the remaining 1/2 cup chips and the walnuts into reserved crumb mixture. Sprinkle over chocolate mixture. Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Makes 2 dozen bars.

Chocolate Walnut Crumb Bars
Serves 24
This simple recipe can be prepared as a last minute dessert, hostess gift or party treat.
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Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
45 min
Total Time
1 hr
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
45 min
Total Time
1 hr
Ingredients
  1. 1 cup ( 2 sticks ) butter, softened
  2. 2 cups flour
  3. ½ cup sugar
  4. ¼ tsp. salt
  5. 2 cups ( 12-ounce package ) semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
  6. 1 ¼ cups ( 14-ounce can ) condensed milk
  7. 1 tsp. vanilla
  8. 1 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
  3. Add the flour, sugar and salt and mix until the butter is completely incorporated and the mixture is crumbly, about 1 minute - don't overmix.
  4. With floured fingers, press 2 cups of the crumb mixture onto bottom of greased 13' x 9' x 2' pan (I use glass); reserve remaining crumb mixture for the topping. Bake for 10-12 minutes until lightly golden.
  5. Warm 1 ½ cups chips and condensed milk in a saucepan over medium-low heat until smooth, about 3 minutes. Stir in vanilla. Spread the chocolate mixture over the crust.
  6. Add the remaining 1/2 cup chips and the walnuts into reserved crumb mixture. Sprinkle over chocolate mixture. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
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Filed Under: Chocolate, Desserts Tagged With: , ,