Shortbread with Chocolate and Salted Caramel- Football Style

So how awesomely cute is this!? I just love when I can girlify manly sports! What better way to girlify the superbowl than to decorate your decadent dessert with a football field! LOVE IT!

OK, so I did watch the super bowl, and I had a blast, but I also loved making this shortbread with chocolate and salted caramel. De-lish! I don't know if others liked it as much as I did since there was minimal talking during the game, but I personally loved it. A layer of buttery shortbread. Layer of gooey, yet slightly solid caramel with sea salt, then a layer of chocolate. Then white chocolate piping for the design. Really, could it be that bad?

I did have some issues with the caramel, but it was my own fault. In the end it worked out, but it took a long time and was still a little grainy. I altered a recipe from Dessert First and used milk instead of cream and decreased the amount of liquid. I had to simmer for a lot longer than expected because of the milk. Just keep boiling until it is thickened and less separated.

Shortbread with Chocolate and Salted Caramel

Shortbread
Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

Directions:
PREHEAT oven to 350° F.
BEAT butter and sugar in large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in egg and vanilla extract. Gradually beat in flour. Press onto bottom of ungreased 13 x 9-inch baking pan.
BAKE for 25 to 30 minutes or just until top is light brown. Chill. Top with Caramel. Chill overnight. Top with chocolate. Chill. Decorate. Enjoy!

Salted Caramel

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1/2 cup honey

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt

1 cup milk

3 Tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces, room temperature

In a large saucepan (use at least a 3 quart saucepan, as the boiling caramel will increase in volume), combine the corn syrup, honey, sugar, and sea salt, and bring to a boil. Let the mixture continue cooking until it is a nice, dark golden brown.

Meanwhile, warm the milk for 30 sec-1min in the microwave. Cover the to keep the milk warm (you do not want to add cold milk to the hot caramel or it will seize up and harden.)

When the caramel is the right color, take it off the heat and add in the butter, stirring until it is melted and combined.

Add in the milk slowly - when you pour it in it will bubble up violently, so don't add the cream all at once or it might overflow. When you have added all the milk, stir the mixture until combined.

Return the saucepan to the stove and cook on medium until it has boiled for about 5 min. While still hot, pour over cooled shortbread.

Chocolate Topping
Melt about 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips with 2 TBSP butter and 2 TBSP corn syrup. Spread over chilled caramel topped shortbread. Chill

Melt 3 oz white chocolate bark (melting white chocolate squares/wafers). Spoon into corner of ziploc. Cut a small hole in the corner. Pipe into football field design.