My great-grandmother, who was a very accomplished baker (who, oddly enough, married a man named Baker), made several versions of butter bars. Some had preserves as fillings. One had marshmallows. But my favorite one was just plain, spiced with cinnamon and a little nutmeg.

If I close my eyes and think back, I can still smell them baking in her kitchen. Actually, the smell was enough to entice me away from reading quietly in my second floor bedroom at the back of the house, drawing me like a magnet to the kitchen. If these are anywhere near as good as hers, I will be thrilled.

 

INGREDIENTS

For the Crust

1 lb. butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1½ cups powdered sugar

2 tablespoons vanilla

4 cups flour

For the Filling

1 bag (14 oz.) caramel candies (about 50 individual caramels), unwrapped

1/3 cup milk or cream or half and half

½ teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon coarse sea salt

 

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 325F.

In a large bowl, combine the butter and sugars. Using mixer on medium speed, beat together until creamy. Add the vanilla and beat until combined. Add flour and mix until smooth.

Spray a 9×13 inch baking pan lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Press one-third of the dough evenly into the pan to form a bottom crust. Place remaining crust mixture in the refrigerator. Bake crust until firm and the edges are a pale golden brown approximately 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool about 15 minutes.

While the bottom crust is baking and the remaining dough is chilling, make the caramel filling. Place the unwrapped caramels in a saucepan, add the cream and vanilla and cook and stir over low-to-medium heat until completely melted. (You can also use the microwave in short bursts to melt the caramel mixture.) Pour the caramel filling over the crust. Generously salt with sea salt.

Remove the remaining chilled dough from the refrigerator and crumble it evenly over the caramel. You may find the chilled dough doesn’t “crumble” that easily. If so, just place on a cutting board and chop into the size pieces you want for the topping.

Return the pan to the oven and bake until the filling is bubbly and the crumbled shortbread topping is firm and lightly golden, about 25 – 30 minutes. Let cool, and cut into squares.

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Quick Tip:  Do not substitute caramel sauce for the caramel candies. The sauce would not give the same results.

Recipe and image courtesy of stlcooks