November 7, 2014

Twix Shortbread Cookies

Homemade caramel chocolate topped treats

We’re admittedly a bit addicted to these Twix Shortbread Cookies. I personally grew up a fan of Twix, the caramel and milk chocolate cookie bars…and the peanut butter version. A variation on this recipe won “best new entrant” at the 2014 L.A. County Fair. We used the recipe Nellie won with as our inspiration for our own version.

A couple of tricks with the recipe: be sure to use a low shallow pan inside a larger one when you are turning the sweetened condensed milk to caramel. You could also buy premade caramel or dulce de leche, but this simple version is oh so yum and easy if you have the right pans. The other tip is to make the indents deep in the cookie dough as they spread out and puff up quite a bit when you bake them.

Once you taste the richness and perfect texture of these cookies you will go crazy for them too. The recipe makes a pretty large batch…about 40 cookies. Enough so there are plenty to share with others.

Enjoy,

Cyndi

 

Twix Shortbread Cookies

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

2/3 cup white sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 1/4 cups Gold Medal All-Purpose Flour

3/4 cup milk chocolate chip, melted

For the caramel: Set your oven to 425 degrees F. Place a low-sided shallow baking dish inside a larger one with rims. An 8×11-inch glass pan in a 10×13-inch (2″ tall) flat baking pan worked great. Fill the larger one with water, until level reaches about 1/2 way up the smaller baking dish. Pour the sweetened condensed milk into the smaller baking dish (be sure it is a low-sided flat one) and cover with aluminum foil. Bake until it turns to caramel (thick and golden in color), about 1 1/2 hours. Set aside to cool.

For the cookies: Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add salt and flour until soft dough forms. Cover and chill for 1/2 hour or more. Shape tablespoon-size pieces of dough into logs 5/8-inches by 2 inches (about 40 cookies). Place on ungreased baking sheet at least an inch apart. Press a bar-shaped deep groove into each cookie, straightening the edges (a table knife works well). Make the openings significant as the cookies fill in a lot once baked. Bake at 350 for about 15-20 minutes. Remove cookies to a baking rack to cool. Fill the indentations with caramel, spreading it also across the top of the cookies. Drizzle with melted chocolate. Makes 40 cookies.

Chocolate melting and drizzling tips: Melt for 30 seconds in microwave and stir. Repeat in 10 second increments until smooth. Place in a sealable plastic bag, snipping the very end for a 1/8-inch opening. Practice the drizzle to check that the hole in the corner of the plastic bag is the right size.  Also, the chocolate doesn’t need to be hot. Once it’s melted, it should flow while warm.

-Recipe from the Blue Ribbon Group