Salted Caramel Squares

Ingredients

For Shortbread:
• 1 1/2 sticks of butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups flour
For Caramel:
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup sugar
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
For Gananche:
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 cups dark chocolate, finely chopped
Plus:
• 1 cup pretzels, broken into pieces
• 1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
• Fleur de sel, for sprinkling

Instructions

Make the shortbread:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line an 8 inch cake pan with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Cream together butter, sugar, and salt in a bowl with a mixer until fluffy. Gradually add the flour with the mixer on low until just combined. Don't overmix.
3. Press the dough into the pan and refrigerate until cool. Bake until golden brown around the edges, for 18-20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
Make the caramel:
4. In a large heavy bottom pan, heat the sugar until it melts and become a deep amber color, swirling occasionally to ensure even cooking. Watch carefully, it can burn fast!
5. Add the cream and butter and stir until the butter is melted. The caramel will bubble up dramatically at first and then subside. Be careful!
6. Stir in the salt.
7. Stir the pretzels and pecans into the caramel and spread evenly over the shortbread.
8. Refrigerate until the caramel has thickened and is no longer runny.
Make the ganache:
9. Place the chopped chocolate in a medium bowl.
10. In a medium saucepan, warm the heavy cream just until steam rises off it.
11. Pour the warm cream over the chocolate and stir until smooth and shiny.
12. Gently and evenly spread the ganache over the caramel layer. Sprinkle with fleur de sel.
13. Refrigerate until set.
14. Enjoy!

Notes