Salted Caramel Shortbread Bars
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Shortbread base pressed soft and crumbly. Caramel cooked slow to 220-230F for firm set, not burnt. Chocolate ganache topping glossy, poured warm, sets chilled. Flaky salt finish for bite contrast. Swapped corn syrup for honey for deeper flavor and softer chew. Reduced brown sugar slightly to balance sweetness. Oven times and chill adjusted a bit for precision. Press dough with wax paper to avoid sticky hands. Use candy thermometer to nail that caramel temp; amateurs rush it, disaster. Patience and sensory cues key. Bars cut at room temp for clean edges. Makes 28 squares varying from buttery, creamy, gooey to rich and bitter chocolate. Notes on fixing sticky dough and ganache consistency included.
Prep:
60 min
Cook:
55 min
Total:
Servings:
28 bars
#dessert
#caramel
#shortbread
#chocolate
#British-inspired
#baking tips
Been chasing the perfect shortbread bar with gooey caramel and glossy chocolate for ages. Why does caramel slip between runny puddle and concrete floor? Slow and steady wins, hands down. Not to brag, but swapping corn syrup for honey introduces floral notes, cuts cloying sweetness; caramel sets softer, more mellow bite. Shortbread dough tricky - sticky but fragile. Wax paper pressing my secret weapon. And chocolate ganache layered warm makes cracking less likely. You want flaky salt not just for looks but punch that wakes every bite from lazy to lit. Timing’s flexible; look for visual cues. Golden crust edges, caramel shiny and thick, ganache smooth and taut. This is 28 squares of layered counter chaos with bright, buttery bursts, keeping me sane all bake day. If you don’t trust thermometers yet, mind the smell and gloss—the house will tell you what’s up.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups semi sweet or dark chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- flaky sea salt for garnish
About the ingredients
Used unsalted butter throughout to control salt levels precisely. Sugar balance important: granulated sugar creamed into butter aerates crust, brown sugar in caramel adds richness but cut back slightly from original to avoid overpowering sweetness. Egg yolk lends tenderness, not whole egg; helps dough bind without toughness. Flour mixed in with care; over kneading means dense crust, so limit mix to just combined. Honey replaces corn syrup for caramel; gives subtle fruity undertone and softer chew. Heavy cream for caramel and ganache provides richness and silkiness. Vanilla extract twice: once in dough, once in caramel to layer flavor. Flaky sea salt not optional; it cuts sweetness and adds crunch. Use parchment paper for easy pan release. For sticky dough, flour hands lightly or chill dough briefly. Candy thermometer strictly necessary; undercooked caramel won’t set, overcooked ruins texture. Chocolate chips for ganache can be semi sweet or darker for slight bitterness. These layers create a complex bite not just sweetness overload.
Method
- Heat oven to 345F. Line 9×13 pan with parchment, leave good overhang for liftoff later. Set aside.
- Beat softened butter with granulated sugar in stand mixer paddle or hand mixer 'til light and a bit fluffy, ~3-4 minutes. This develops that tender shortbread texture, don’t skip creaming.
- Add egg yolk and vanilla. Mix just enough to combine. Toss in flour and salt, mix just until dough holds but still crumbly. Dough will feel soft, not tough; over mixing = dense bars.
- Cover dough with wax paper and press evenly in pan using palms dusted sparingly with flour. No direct hands or dough sticks. Bake close to 20 minutes until edges go slightly golden and crust looks set but not dark.
- Pull from oven, sniff that buttery shortbread aroma, cool completely. Crust will firm as it rests, fragile if cut warm.
- Meanwhile, start caramel. Melt butter, condensed milk, brown sugar, heavy cream, honey, salt in medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk till smooth.
- Bring to full boil, then lower heat to med-low simmer. Whisk steadily to avoid scorching bottom. Caramel thickens and deepens to rich amber - watch and smell. Keep simmering about 30 minutes till temp hits 222-232F on candy thermometer. Viscous, coats spoon thickly.
- Remove from heat, whisk in vanilla while hot to keep it lively. Pour caramel evenly over cooled crust, spread quickly; texture thickens fast. If caramel too hot, crust may soften too much, so check temp.
- Refrigerate caramel layer minimally 1-2 hours until it firms with some bounce but not rock hard.
- Make ganache by heating cream in microwave 50 seconds to 1 minute until steamy but not boiling. Pour over chocolate chips in heatproof bowl. Press chips lightly under cream so all covered. Wait 1 minute. Whisk gently to velvety gloss. If ganache too thick or lumps, microwave few seconds more then whisk.
- Spread ganache evenly over set caramel. Back to fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight to fully firm up. Patience here avoids cracked ganache.
- Finish with flaky sea salt. Lift slab using parchment overhang for clean peel. Cut bars room temp with sharp serrated knife; warm knife if needed. Serve with chew, crunch, creamy caramel melt, bitter chocolate edge.
- To salvage sticky dough, chill 10 minutes before pressing or lightly flour hands; overworked dough toughens crust. Burnt caramel smell means starting over or carefully scraping bottom. Candy thermometer mandatory; estimated times vary seriously.
Cooking tips
Start oven first to get steady heat. Line pan early; overhang for easy bar lift avoids breakage. Cream butter and granulated sugar until pale and slightly fluffy - this traps air for tender shortbread. Egg yolk adds richness without excess liquid. Avoid mixing flour beyond just combined to stop gluten development and keep base crumbly. Press dough firmly with wax paper—no sticking or holes. Baking until edges just turn golden, not brown; residual heat firms crust further. Caramel demands attention; constant whisking prevents burning edges or grainy texture. Once boiling, drop heat but don’t ignore viscosity or thermometer. Caramel must reach 222-232F; less risks runny caramel, more gets hard brittle. Pour over crust as warm but not hot to prevent crust sogginess. Chill caramel solidly before ganache. Ganache needs warm cream and resting to melt chips fully, whisk to glossy perfection. Pour ganache quickly then chill to set clean top layer. Sprinkle flaky salt after ganache sets, not before or salt dissolves. Cut bars room temperature using serrated knife for clean edges; warm knife if needed. Patience and sensory cues make difference between sticky mess and layered bar heaven.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Press dough with wax paper to avoid sticky hands and dough tearing. Sprinkle palms lightly with flour only if needed; too much and crust stiffens. Chill sticky dough 10 minutes instead - texture changes subtly but sticks less.
- 💡 Caramel stage critical: watch candy thermometer against 222-232F. Smell deepens, caramel thickens, color turns rich amber. Whisk constantly. Too hot spells brittle candy; too low means runny mess. No thermometer? Rely on texture clues but careful.
- 💡 Ganache prep needs soft but not boiling cream. Microwave 50 seconds, check warmness, then pour over chips. Press chips briefly under cream for even melt. Wait 1 minute then whisk gently to stop lumps. Add short microwaves if thick before whisking smooth.
- 💡 Cut bars only once fully cooled to room temp. Warm serrated knife under hot water, wipe dry, makes clean cut without dragging ganache or caramel layers. Cut warm bars and edges crumble or sticky mess.
- 💡 If caramel smells burnt, toss or carefully scrape bottom—not worth risking bitter flavor. Honey replaces corn syrup for softer chew but watch temp and color; it darkens faster so reduce heat slightly. Patience critical here.
Common questions
How to fix sticky dough?
Chill 10 minutes or flour hands lightly; don’t overwork dough. Press evenly with wax paper. Sticky dough means too warm or too much mixing. Avoid high moisture ingredients.
Substitute corn syrup?
Honey is tried here; adds floral notes, softer chew but caramel sets softer too. Work temp carefully. Maple syrup or golden syrup possible but change sweetness and flavor profile.
Why does caramel burn?
Too high heat or no stirring. Must whisk constantly at med-low simmer. Watch color and smell deepening. Burnt caramel smells acrid, ruins bars. Scraping bottom helps if caught early.
Storing bars longer?
Wrapped airtight in fridge lasts several days. Bring to room temp before serving for best chew. Freeze for up to a month wrapped tight; thaw slowly. Ganache may firm up more in cold.
