Roasted Hazelnut Chocolate Caramel Shortbread

Roasted Hazelnut Chocolate Caramel Shortbread

This recipe was actually made for our December Dinner Club at Stephanie's house.  These beautiful cookie bars were made by my friend and Dinner Club member, Kathy for our annual cookie exchange.  Immediately after dinner, we each bring to the table the "cookie" we secretly made for the exchange.  This is a time for ooohs and aaaahs.  When this cookie debuted, there was much excitement.  This is not the original recipe she used which is listed at http://www.eatwisconsincheese.com/, but I used hazelnuts instead of almonds, two different extracts and more cinnamon. 

So, how does this recipe fit into February?  If you are looking to impress (as we all were when we saw these) your sweetie pie will  think you went to a ton of work making them.  Wrapped in cute little cupcake wrappers, they look like they just came from a bakery.  No kidding.  For February,  I suggest putting a little candy heart on top of each that says exactly how you feel about them.  It could be "BABY DOLL", "I LOVE YOU" or "LETS BOOGIE"!

Roasted Hazelnut Chocolate Caramel Shortbread

Ingredients

Shortbread:
1/2 C. roasted hazelnuts
1 1/2 C. flour
1/2 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
1 1/4 sticks of butter
1/2 C. light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate Caramel:
2. C. chocolate chips
1 1/2 C. sugar
1/4 C. light corn syrup
1/4 C. water
3/4 stick of butter
1 C. heavy cream
1/2 t. salt
1 T. sea salt or flavored salt found in specialty stores

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Tracy & Stephanie
Dinner Club - December 2010

Shortbread:  Get out a 9x9 inch pan and cover bottom with parchment paper or foil inside the pan.  Butter the interior right on top of the parchment.  Using your cuisinart, process hazelnuts until fine.  In a separate bowl, whisk together ground hazelnuts, flour, salt and cinnamon and set aside.

In a mixer, beat butter, brown sugar and extracts together until light.  Add the flour mixture from above and work it in until a dough forms.  Remove dough from bowl and press it evenly into the bottom of a prepared pan.  Bake until golden, about 28 minutes.

Chocolate Caramel:  Place chocolate chips in a heat proof bowl.  In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup and water.  Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes until mixture is thick.  Remove from heat and immediatly pour over chocolate.  Add butter, heavy cream and salt and stir until combined.  Return saucepan to heat and simmer, stirring until smooth.  Simmer about 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and pour mixture over shortbread.  Cool overnight in refrigerator.

Before serving, sprinkle with sea salt.  To remove from pan, grab sides of parchment and carefully lift it from the pan.  Set on cool surface and use a hot knife blade to cut bars.  You can do this by dipping knife end in very hot water and wiping dry right before cutting.  These bars can be stored in the refrigerator for a week.

Enjoy!