Dulce de Leche Shortbread Bars

I love making bars. You really can’t get much easier. As we get into the holiday season, bars are where it’s at! They make great additions to your cookie trays with very little effort.

Here’s another simple, yummy dessert from the Quick-Shop-&-Prep 5 Ingredient Cookbook from Jennifer at Bake or Break.

I had just made some Dulce de Leche, just because I found out how and had to do it immediately to see if was true (more on that later) and saw these in my new favorite cookbook. For real, I have every page flagged. And, I had to make them. I really shouldn’t have. Actually, I really should have given them away, because, well you know why. I didn’t share them like good neighbor or decent human being. Nope! Not this girl! I may or may not have even lied to my daughter and told her they were gross and I had to throw them in the trash.

I spent yesterday at the gym repenting  for my sins.

It was worth it.

These bars of buttery shortbread crust layered with dulce de leche and semisweet chocolate to balance out the sweetness make these bars look difficult, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Very little work for loads of flavor!

These will be a great addition to your holiday table or your own guilty pleasure.

Ingredients
1 c unsalted butter, softened
3/4 c firmly packed light brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 c unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 can dulce de leche
9 oz semi-sweet chocolate

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9 x 13 x 2 inch baking dish. Line the pan with parchment paper so it overhangs the short ends of the pan about 2 inches.

Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter, brown sugar and vanilla until thoroughly combined

reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour and salt, until just combined.

Press the mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared dish. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until light golden brown. Set the pan on a wire rack and cool to room temperature.

Spread the dulce de leche evenly over the cooled crust and refrigerate 20 minutes or until set.

Place the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and heat on 50% power in 30-second increments until the chocolate melts when stirred. Stir until smooth and allow cool for several minutes. Then spread evenly over the top of the dulce de leche layer. Smooth with an offset spatula. Refrigerate for 20 minutes until set.

Use the overhanging parchment to lift out of the dish and onto a cutting board. Cut into bars with a sharp knife.