The combination of my three most favorite flavors all in one bar. I’ve also heard them called Millionaire bars. Either way it doesn’t get better than this. The dulce de leche is soft and gewy, and the shortbread cookie is tender and sweet. Top that with a quality chocolate and you have the best dessert bar imaginable.
Shortbread is such a basic recipe of only four ingredients and yet it has a complex sophisticated taste. Be sure to use really high-quality butter if you can find it. Something along the lines of Kerrygold or New Zealand butter.
Keep Stirring the condensed milk, don’t leave it for a second it will burn!
Now let us talk about dulce de leche. I get asked all the time if there is any difference between caramel and dulce de leche. Why yes there is a big difference. dulce de leche has a base of sweetened condensed milk(milk and sugar) and caramel has a sugar and water base. Although they are similar, you can taste more of a milky flavor with the dulce de leche. Personally I love them both and you can interchange them depending on what you want the outcome to be.
SHORTBREAD COOKIES
8 oz unsalted butter, room temperature (2 sticks) 1/2 cup granulated sugar 3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted 1/4 teaspoon salt 20 oz of bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate ( top layer) Directions- Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
- Cream butter and sugar on medium in a stand-up mixer.
- Next slowly add flour and then add the salt.
- Mix until thoroughly blended.
- Press the cookie dough in the bottom of a 9 x 9 pan lined with parchment paper.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until just turning golden brown.
- Do Not Over Bake.
- Remove from oven to cool completely.
- While the cookie dough is baking start the following recipe below of Dulce de Leche.
- Combine all ingredients in a saucepan, and heat on med-low for about 10 minutes, stirring constantly.
- DO NOT let it boil.
- Stir until it thickens and turns golden.
- Remove from heat and cool for about 20 minutes.
- Pour over shortbread cookies.
- Let cool completely.
- Next slowly melt the chocolate either in a double boiler or microwave.
- Once all the chocolate is melted pour over the dulce de leche and let it set up before cutting.
- Use a warm knife to cut the squares.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
OMG – those look really good KT. Just printed out the recipe!
Hope you are having a great spring!
Can imagine how deliciously wonderful these are to bite into!
another way to caramelized the sweetened condensed milk it to heat up water in a saucepan on the stove top – of course not recommended by Carnation – *Directions: We do not recommend heating milk in the can. They recommend doing it in a double boiler… save you burning the bottom of the saucepan.
hahaha!
But we did this in our Food Science class… took the the label off the can and emerge the can in hot water – turn the element down to a low temp and leave on the stove top cooking for an hour or two or three… it will caramelize in the can… and depends on the deepness of the caramelization of the dulce you want… is to how long you leave it cooking… I can eat this out of the can, forget the bar
This is a good one. I’ll try this out next time. Sounds kinda crazy but I trust you….