Phenomenal Phoods

Turtle Shortbread Bars

Ingredients:

For the shortbread bars

• 2 cups butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 3 cups flour
• 1/2 cup rice flour*
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips, melted
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans

For the caramel sauce

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

For the shortbread bars

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and get out a 9x13 baking pan.
2. Cream together the butter and sugar just until combined without any lumps of butter.
3. Add the flour, cornstarch and salt, mixing until crumbly.
4. Pour the crumbly dough mixture into your baking pan and use your hands or the back of a spatula to press it down evenly. Use a fork or a knife to poke holes throughout the dough to prevent it from shrinking while baking.
5. Bake at 325 degrees F. for 40-45 minutes or until just starting to brown around the edges.
6. Use a sharp knife to slice the shortbread into bars while it is still warm. Transfer the bars to a cooling rack or a piece of parchment paper on your counter to cool before topping.

For the caramel sauce

1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.
2. Add the brown sugar and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly.
3. Add the cream and salt and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly.
4. Once the sauce starts to bubble and thicken, remove from heat and pour into a bowl or glass to let cool.
5. Let cool to room temperature before using as it will thicken more.
6. Drizzle the shortbread bars with the melted chocolate and as much caramel as you like. You can do this with a spoon or use a ziploc bag with a small corner cut off. Sprinkle with chopped pecans.