Recipe: Scrumptious

I've wanted to try this for awhile [the blogging style, not the recipe], and this recipe turned out really well so I thought I might as well share it. I got the recipe off of foodnetwork.com. It's originally from Claire Robinson, and when I found the recipe I somehow could only access the video of it; which you'd think would be more thorough than it actually is. But in any case it turned out really tasty. I'm not a big fan of the name Millionaires Shortbread [the original name], so my sister substituted it with Scrumptious.
It's a very easy recipe, kind of time consuming with the caramel layer but I think it's definitely worth it.

Ingredients:
Shortbread -
2 cups flour
2/3 cups sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup cold butter, cut up

Caramel layer -
2 14 oz cans sweetened condensed milk
2 tbs butter

Chocolate layer - 4 cups chocolate chips [or other melt able chocolate], semisweet
1 tbs shortening, to help the chocolate harden
1/2 cup chopped pecans [optional]

Step 1: Combine flour, sugar, cold cut up butter, and salt in a food processor, pulse until crumbly. Press into the bottom of two greased and floured 9x9 pans or one 9x11 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Let cool.
Step 2: Melt together 2 tbs butter and canned milk. Make sure it doesn't scorch and keep a close eye on it, stirring constantly. This is the most tedious part of the recipe, it may take up to around 40 minutes. It will be ready when it's a light caramel color and quite thick, you should be between the consistency of cake batter and cookie dough. Pour and spread evenly over shortbread crust. It might be a little difficult to spread, but if you use a plastic spatula it should work better.
Step 3: Melt chocolate in a double boiler or in a non-stick sauce pan on low, until smooth. Make sure you stir as it melts. Spread chocolate evenly over caramel layer, it will be easier to spread than the caramel. Sprinkle chopped pecans on top if desired.
Let it set up for a little while before you dig into it. The longer it sits the better it seems to cut. It's also easier to manage if you cut it into bars.

I don't have any pictures of the bars cut individually, by the time I thought of that they were nearly gone. I hope you like these Scrumptious cookie bars.

Best Wishes,
L