Chocolate covered Caramel with Butter Crust

A few days after I made my Meyer Lemon Bars I was craving caramels, but I love the crust on the lemon bars. So I thought it would be easy to combine caramel with the crust. It turned out delicious, but then I thought it would be even better with chocolate. How could that be bad!? A buttery crust, the soft vanilla caramel and covered in rich milk chocolate! It turned out better than I had expected! Try these out!

First make the crust! 

Recipe:

1 cup softened butter

1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 cups flour

pinch of salt

Preheat oven at 350 degrees. For the crust, mix dry ingredients with butter and form in the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan. Or two smaller pans. Bake for 15 minutes. Take out to cool slightly. Meanwhile make the caramel. 

Caramel Recipe (from the family of Melodie Buyington)

2 1/2 cups light brown sugar

1 cup unsalted butter

1 cup Karo syrup

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 (small) can sweetened condensed milk
2 bags bittersweet chocolate chips 

Melt butter and sugar together over medium heat. Add the Karo syrup, vanilla and salt then slowly stir in the sweetened condensed milk. Continue to stir over medium heat until the mixture reaches soft ball stage on a candy thermometer. Quickly remove caramel off heat and pour onto the buttery crust. Level out and let sit for 20 to 30 minutes until cool enough to touch and handle.

Melt the Chocolate!

Set up a double boiler. Either one that you already have or a pot of simmering water with a heat proof (preferably glass) bowl on top. Don't let the water touch the bottom of the bowl and keep on low heat.

 Pour chocolate into bowl, let melt and stir occasionally. Adjust your heat if you think the chocolate is burning or not warm enough. Chocolate should be smooth and silky. Cut squares of the caramel cookie candies and have a baking sheet with wax paper to the side. With a fork, place each caramel (one at a time) into the chocolate, using a spoon to cover the caramel with chocolate. Wiggle to drip off any extra chocolate. Set on wax paper and cool to harder. If you feel they are still too warm, set in the refrigerator. Enjoy!