A delightful combo of flavors here that should go over with your friends! The lemon in the shortbread is stronger than you’d expect from just a bit of zest, and the berry caramel is something new. Actually, regarding the berry caramel, it turns out the person that made it first got ~4 cups (frozen) berries and heated them up until they could strain out 2 cups of juice – I didn’t realize that and just bought the closest to ‘mixed berry juice’ I could find, which was this berry/grape, and it worked just fine. The flavor may be even more strongly berry-y if you make your own from berries?

Ingredients:

Lemon Shortbread:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• zest of one lemon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups all-purpose flour

Mixed Berry Caramel:

• 2 cups mixed berry juice
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream
• pinch of salt

Topping:

• 12 ounces white chocolate chips
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

To make the shortbread, preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Line a 9×13″ dish with parchment long enough to let you pull the bars out later, and set aside.

In a large bowl (I used a medium one and regretted it) cream together the butter, powdered sugar, salt, vanilla, and lemon zest. Add the flour and beat on medium speed until a crumbly dough has formed.

Press the dough into the lined dish and pierce all over with a fork.

Bake 40-45 minutes, until lightly golden brown, then set aside (still in the dish) to cool.

I beat together the dough and then realized that the cream I had was actually half-and-half, so threw the dough in the freezer for a few days until I’d gone to the store, let it thaw in the fridge for a day, and then proceeded.

To make the berry caramel, boil the juice in a saucepan until it reduces down to 1/4 cup, 30+ minutes. That may feel like a super small amount, but it’s not a typo and does work!

Reduce the heat while you add the butter, sugar, and cream, then raise to medium-high and cook until the mixture reads 255 degrees on a candy thermometer.

Remove from the heat, stir in the salt, and then quickly pour over the shortbread, spreading with a silicone spatula if needed to get an even layer. Let cool to room temp.

When you’re ready, melt the white chocolate and oil in the microwave (the chocolate probably has instructions on the package – I was pleased how well store brand white chocolate melted), stir until smooth, and then spread in an even layer over the caramel.

Let set at room temperature or in the fridge, then remove from the pan and slice.

These are preeeeetty big slices tbh.

Mixed Berry Millionaire Bars

From Sweet Recipeas.

Lemon Shortbread:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• zest of one lemon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups all-purpose flour

Mixed Berry Caramel:

• 2 cups mixed berry juice
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream
• pinch of salt

Topping:

• 12 ounces white chocolate chips
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

To make the shortbread, preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Line a 9×13″ dish with parchment long enough to let you pull the bars out later, and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, powdered sugar, salt, vanilla, and lemon zest. Add the flour and beat on medium speed until a crumbly dough has formed, then press the dough into the lined dish and pierce all over with a fork. Bake 40-45 minutes, until lightly golden brown, then set aside (still in the dish) to cool.

To make the berry caramel, boil the juice in a saucepan until it reduces down to 1/4 cup, 30+ minutes.

Reduce the heat while you add the butter, sugar, and cream, then raise to medium-high and cook until the mixture reads 255 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove from the heat, stir in the salt, and then quickly pour over the shortbread, spreading with a silicone spatula if needed to get an even layer. Let cool to room temp.

When you’re ready, melt the white chocolate and oil in the microwave stir until smooth, and then spread in an even layer over the caramel. Let set at room temperature or in the fridge, then remove from the pan and slice.