Peanut Caramel Shortbread Bars Recipe

Ingredients

• 180 g plain flour
• 50 g caster sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 125 g unsalted butter, cold and cubed
• 90 g smooth peanut butter
• 75 g light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons golden syrup
• 397 g sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 150 g dark chocolate, chopped
• 25 g roasted salted peanuts, roughly chopped

Method

1. 1

   Heat the oven to 180 C, or 160 C fan. Line a 20 cm square tin with baking paper, leaving enough paper to lift out the finished slab.

2. 2

   Mix the flour, caster sugar, and salt. Rub in 100 g of the butter until the mixture forms damp crumbs, press it firmly into the tin, and prick all over with a fork.

3. 3

   Bake for 25 to 28 minutes until pale gold. Cool in the tin for 15 minutes.

4. 4

   Put the remaining 25 g butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, golden syrup, and condensed milk in a heavy saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes until thickened and slightly darker, then remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.

5. 5

   Spread the caramel over the shortbread and chill for 45 minutes. Melt the chocolate gently, spread it over the caramel, scatter with peanuts, and chill just until firm before cutting into sixteen bars.