Espresso caramel got me feeling like a million bucks. # 312: Espresso Millionaire Shortbread Bars

It’s hard to improve on perfection, but I can now say that a thick layer of caramel and chocolate only makes shortbread shine brighter. Especially when that caramel has an espresso kick that cuts the sweetness of the whole bite. Omnomnom.

My favorite person turned 30 this weekend (everyone go say happy belated “you’re old now” day to Nathan!) His favorite flavors are coffee and chocolate combined in literally any form, so this recipe popped out at me on a recent recipe clean out.

Don’t worry, he got a classic birthday cake with candles too (with the extra espresso caramel as the filling and a jersey whipped cream topping) so it was worth all the dishes this bake made him do.

One of the conundrums I’ve had with these rich layered bbs in the past is how to cut them neatly. A hot knife works ok, but can sometimes bring melty chocolate streaks down the sides, obscuring the layers. New policy: score the chocolate with a serrated knife, then use a warm (not hot) knife to cut cleanly all the way through. (These bars take no prisoners: even after cutting them beautifully, I managed to leave fingerprints all over the caramel layers. Sigh.)

The shadows!!

I haven’t told my stand mixer yet, but I’m making a stain glass version of it to hang in the window! It’s dark teal/green with mirror accents and a white bowl. Stay tuned.

The parchment paper barrier between my hand and the dough wasn’t necessary but highly recommend.

She lumpy but cute.

Have you ever made a caramel with sweetened condensed milk before? It’s more of a dulce de leche with the amount of milk involved, but with extra add-ins.

It feels downright wrong to add MORE sugar to sweetened condensed milk, but you gotta trust the process.

Just a lil autumn witch stirring her bubbling cauldron of caramel. I also made my first pumpkin bake of the season (coffee cake heavy on the cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg with a thick crumble on top, yes please) this weekend and my kitchen smelled glorious.

Layer number three! Having white chocolate on hand is one of those things that really make me feel like an adult.

Remember to prep your melted white chocolate in a piping bag before you pour on the melted chocolate. Gotta be speedy to do the feathering before the chocolate sets.

Et voilà!

Messy edges mean scraps for the baker and her dishwasher extraordinaire to munch on.

The melty chocolate streaks are courtesy of a very hot knife from my first attempt. Oops!

It feels wrong to cut such a pretty design. Catch me whispering “I’m sorry” to the feathering.

Happy munching!

Recipe ripped out of an old Good To Be Home magazine, and there doesn’t seem to be an online version. Je suis désolé. Here’s the recipe with my changes:

Shortbread:

• 1 2/3 cups flour
• 2/3 cup unsalted butter, room temp
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 350F. Mix ingredients by hand or in a mixer until just combined and press in to a parchment lined 9×9″ pan. Press down using the bottom of a cup (or your fist and some leftover parchment paper) until flat and dock the dough with a fork. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes, or until edges are golden.

Caramel:

• 28 oz of condensed milk (two 14 oz cans)
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup golden syrup (I used honey)
• 1/2 tsp salt

Heat all ingredients in a large pot until the butter is melted, then bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until the texture thickens to a soft fudge and it’s a toasty golden brown. Pour onto cooled crust and chill in the fridge for at least an hour. *I only poured half of the caramel in and put the rest into a jar to use for a cake filling!*

Chocolate layer:

• 1 2/3 cups chopped chocolate (I used 72% dark chocolate)
• 2 tbs unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup chopped white chocolate (this is just for decoration, and I only used half of it)

Melt the white chocolate and put in a piping bag. Melt the dark chocolate with the butter and pour over the chilled caramel layer. Pipe lines of white chocolate even across the pan, and then gently drag a toothpick in perpendicular lines to create the feathered effect. Alternate directors with the toothpick to match my pattern. Pop it back into the fridge til the chocolate sets and then follow my notes above about cutting them cleanly. Enjoy!