Millionaire Shortbread

From AARP magazine

2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups packed light-brown sugar, divided
1 teaspoon salt, divided
2 cups cold, unsalted butter, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla, divided
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
3/4 pound high quality milk or dark chocolate

1) Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9x13 inch pan, layer the pan with parchment paper, and butter the paper.

2) To make the shortbread, measure the flour, 1/2 cup of the brown sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt into a food processor and pulse until mixed. Add 1 cup of the butter in chunks, and pulse until roughly mixed. Sprinkle in 1/2 teaspoon of the vanilla, continue to process until the dough begins to form a ball. Remove from the processor and press evenly over the bottom of the pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, turning the pan halfway through to brown evenly. (Side note here- our food processor did NOT cooperate with cold butter. We ended up dumping the whole mixture into a bowl, heating it in the microwave to soften the butter and then stirring it up with a spoon. That worked FINE.)

3) To make the caramel, melt the remaining 1 cup butter over low heat. Stir in the remaining 1 cup brown sugar, the corn syrup, and the condensed milk. Raise heat to medium-low; bring to a boil, stirring constantly for 4 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, then 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Pour evenly over the baked crust; let cool.

4) Melt the chocolate, the pour it evenly over the caramel layer. Cool completely in the pan, then use the parchment paper to lift the shortbread out of the pan. Cut into squares. Makes 36-40 bars.