Caramel Chocolate Shortbread

This is a layered dessert that involves different cooking techniques (baking, boiling and double boiling) which would leave the cook satisfied. Fortunately my wife was the cook here and I was the eater... hehe...

It's a very yummy dessert which you should try... Enjoi...

"Shortbread is a type of biscuit which is traditionally made from one part white sugar, two parts butter, and three parts flour (by weight). Shortbread is so named because of its crumbly texture." - Wikipedia

Makes: 12

Spice level: --

Preparation time: 25 Mins.

Cook time (incl. Prep. time): 2 Hrs.

Ingredients:

For Base (shortbread):

1. Unsalted Butter - 1/2 Cup + extra for greasing

2. All-purpose Flour - 1 1/4 Cup

3. Superfine Sugar (confectioners’ Sugar) - 1/4 Cup

For filling (caramel Filling):

4. Butter - 7 Oz or 14Tbsp

5. Sugar - 1/2 Cup

6. Sweetened Condensed Milk - 1 Cup

For Topping (Chocolate Topping):

7. Bittersweet Chocolate Square - 7 (broken into pieces)

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 deg. F.

2. Grease a 9 inch square baking pan with butter and line parchment paper over it. Set aside.

3. Using a hand mixer blend butter, flour and sugar in a mixing bowl until well combined for 2 mins.

4. Press the mixture into the baking pan evenly using a wooden spatula or spoon.

5. Bake for 20-25 mins. or until the top is golden brown.

6. Meanwhile, add the filling ingredients (butter, sugar and condensed milk) to a sauce pan and heat it gently until the sugar is dissolved.

7. Bring the mixture to boil and simmer for 6-7 mins. stirring constantly until it's thick.

8. Remove the shortbread from the oven and pour the filling over it evenly.

9. Let it cool for about 10-15 mins.

10. Keep the pan in the refrigerator for about 40 min. or until the the filling is firm.

11. Double boil the chocolate squares to make the topping. (Simmer water in a sauce pan and place chocolate squares a heatproof bowl over the sauce pan until the chocolate squares are melted).

12. Remove the chocolate from the heat and let it cool slightly.

13. Spread the topping evenly over the shortbread and let it cool in the refrigerator until fully set (about 1 hr.)

14. Once fully set, remove the shortbread from the pan and cut it into squares. Serve chilled and store in a cool place.