Dulce de Leche: Millionaire's Shortbread

Our friend, Kelley, is to be credited for scrounging up this recipe. Who knew such a luxurious item as Dulce de Leche could be so simple step by step to make at home? It is sufficient to play with the dulce de leche alone and use it to top off your ice cream at night. The more advanced Millionaire's Shortbread recipe below is actually very easy to make as well. The ingredients are a bit on the pricier side; however it is totally worth it and will impress all.

Shortbread:
2 sticks butter, cut into small pieces, plus more for preparing pans
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for preparing pans
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter 2 (8-inch) square nonstick pans and coat with flour, tapping off excess. You can also use a 9  X 13 pan. Place the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse once. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles peas. Press the shortbread mixture into prepared pans and bake until golden brown around the edges, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.

Alternatively, use any favorite shortbread recipe. To make a 'pretty' base, roll out the dough to size and then place in base of your pan(s).

Dulce de Leche:
Use 2-3 cans of sweetened condensed milk (I adore dulce de leche so I use 3, but 2 is just fine). Make it as follows, don't be frightened, it is really too easy. Pour the caramel over the cooked shortbread and spread evenly using an offset spatula. Cool to room temperature.

http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Dulce-De-Leche

Chocolate Topping:
3/4 pound good-quality dark (or milk) chocolate  (Bernard Callebaut, Thomas Haas, or your favourite)

In a glass bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, melt the chocolate. Once chocolate has melted, pour it over the cooled caramel layer. Cool at room temperature for about 10 minutes, and then place in the refrigerator to cool completely. Cut into 2-inch squares. Store in an airtight container, at room temperature.

I put a sprinkling of large flakes of fleur de sel on my chocolate. You can also flavour the chocolate (orange essence, etc.) and get creative.