Girl Behind the Apron: Homemade Twix with Salted Caramel

As a child, Twix were always my favorite candy. I would always eat the chocolate and the caramel off the top first, and then save the cookie for last. That way it made me think they were more than just a candy bar, but a cookie AND a candy bar in one! Nostalgia got the best of me one day and I decided search for a recipe. This was the winner because of the addition of ground rice, which gives a crunch to the shortbread just like the store-bought ones. But after tasting these scratch-made twix, I don't think I'll ever want to eat a store-bought one again. The caramel alone from this recipe is SO delicious, you could literally put it on anything and it would still be amazing.

These would be great to take to a party, wrap up individually as gifts, or even just to have around the house to snack on for the week. They are a little time consuming with the 3 different layers that need time bake, set, and cool. The caramel is gooey even after it "sets" so I would recommend popping them in the freezer for 15 minutes before cutting, or letting them chill in the fridge overnight. Making these a day ahead is definitely the way to go.

Homemade Twix Bars
(adapted from this blog)

Shortbread:
- 1 stick + 3 tbsp butter, softened
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 cups cake flour [*or sift AP flour like I did]
- 2 tbsp ground rice, uncooked. [*grind in spice grinder or food processor and pass through a sieve]
- 1/4 tsp salt

Caramel:
- 2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- half lemon, squeezed
- 3/4 cup light corn syrup
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1/4 tsp salt + more for sprinkling
- 1 tsp vanilla extract [*I added this because caramel + vanilla are always soulmates]

Chocolate Topping:
- 6 oz semi sweet chocolate
- 2 tbsp butter

Preheat the Oven to 350F. Grease a 13 x 9 baking pan

To make the shortbread, cream the butter and the sugar until light and fluffy. Process the rice and pass it through a sieve to get rid of big chunks. Add the salt, flour, and rice to the butter mixture and mix just until combined. [*The dough will be crumbly and dry, but should hold together if you squeeze some in your hand]

Dump it into the baking pan and press it down evenly. Using a measuring cup to pack it down is very handy.

Bake for 12 minutes, and then rotate the pan and bake for another 10. Let cool to room temperature.

To make the caramel, combine the sugar, corn syrup, lemon juice, and water in a saucepan. Turn the heat on medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil. When it starts to turn golden, put in a candy thermometer and boil it until it reaches 300F. [*This is not the time to walk away or check your email, keep your eyes on the pot!]

Turn off the heat, and let the bubbles subside for a minute. Then, carefully add in the heavy cream and whisk until smooth [*Be careful, the mixture can still viciously bubble up and its very hot]
Add in the condensed milk, vanilla, and salt after and mix until smooth.

Put the pot back on the heat and stir continuously until the caramel reaches 240F. Then carefully pour it over the shortbread and let it set. This should take about 2 hours.

To make the chocolate: Over a bain marie, melt the chocolate with the butter until smooth. Pour over caramel and spread out evenly and nicely. Refrigerate to set. [*I froze mine for 15 minutes before I was going to cut it up]