Caramel Square Success!

During the half term I faced my fears and made caramel squares (along with the help of my grandma and my sister). Luckily they turned out better than before and did not have the potential to break anyone's teeth. They may not break your teeth but they could rot them. This yield of caramel squares has a total of 8100 calories. Definitely not for the faint hearted! Make a batch...treat yourself! This recipe belonged to my great grandmother and makes enough caramel squares to fill a 25X30cm tin.

Recipe

Ingredients:

Shortbread:

• Sugar - 4oz

• Butter - 8oz

• Flour - 12oz

Caramel

• 8oz butter

• 8oz caster sugar

• 2 dessert spoons of syrup

• 1 tin of condensed milk

Chocolate:

• 200 g chocolate bar

Method

Preheat the oven to 150 c. First make the shortbread, do this by creaming the butter and sugar together until smooth and fluffy. Then add in the flour, the mixture should form a ball.

Place the shortbread in a greased and lined tin and press out to the edges, making sure that the shortbread is level. Be careful not to handle the shortbread too much as it could melt. Place into the oven and bake for 10-15 mins, or until the top is a pale golden brown.

About 5 mins before the shortbread comes out of the oven start making the caramel. Do this by putting all the ingredients in the pan and setting over a medium heat. Continuously stir the caramel until it goes a golden brown colour. (Do not worry if speckles start to form in your caramel, you have not done anything wrong! When I saw the specks I thought that my wooden spoon had started to melt! But no it's a normal process.) To test if the caramel is ready put a drop of it on a plate and tip the plate sideways, the caramel should not run down the plate but move slightly and set.

My caramel still has a long way to go at this point, but its worth the wait!

Pour the caramel on top of the shortbread, spreading it out to the edges. Meanwhile melt the chocolate.

It is easier to make more chocolate than you need and pour it on top of the caramel. Be very delicate when pushing it to the edges, or else it could mix with the caramel. Leave aside to firm up. When the caramel squares are firm, cut them into squares and store in an airtight container.