Salted Chocolate "Twix" Bars

Total Prep, Baking, and Cooling Time: 2 1/2 – 3 hours

Shortbread Crust

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

1 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes

2 tablespoons cold water

2 egg yolks

Caramel

2 14 oz. cans sweetened condensed milk

1 cup light brown sugar

3/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes

1/4 cup corn syrup

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Salted Chocolate

1 12 oz. bag chocolate (I would have preferred semisweet, but I only had milk chocolate, so I used that and it was great, just sweet)

1 tablespoon sea salt, for topping

1. Start by making your shortbread. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Using a pastry cutter or your hands (I think that using your hands is easier and makes for less clean up later), cut together the cold, cubed butter until a coarse crumb forms. Add in the water and egg yolks, and beat together until well combined.

2. Grease a 9×13 pan with Pam or butter, then spread the shortbread dough out into the pan. The dough is pretty sticky, so I found it easiest to just spread it out with my hands. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes, until lightly golden and set. Set aside to cool while you make the caramel.

3. To make the caramel, combine the sweetened condensed milk, the brown sugar, the butter, the corn syrup, and the vanilla in a medium sized sauce pot. Place over medium heat and stir often until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat and stir constantly until thickened. If you have a thermometer, you want the caramel to be around 220 degrees F. If you don’t, you want to stir for at least 5 solid minutes while it simmers.

4. When the caramel is ready, pour it over the baked shortbread crust and spread it out evenly. Set the shortbread and caramel aside and let it cool and set in the fridge for 10-15 minutes. While it sets, melt your chocolate in a double boiler if you have it. If not, you can just use a regular sauce pot and be sure to stir constantly so that the chocolate doesn’t burn. You can also use the microwave, stirring after 30 second intervals, until smooth. Spread the chocolate over the caramel and sprinkle with the tablespoon of sea salt. Place the whole pan in the fridge to set for at least 2 hours. Cut into bars and serve. Makes 36-40 bars and can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

*From Crepes of Wrath