Homemade Twix Bars

Although I love my new blog, it hasn't been so easy to keep up with it. It takes a lot of time and since I am not much of a writer, it has been a little tough. But I have to say I love making my new recipes and having them documented with pictures and notes--I never realized just how many new recipes I make. What's even crazier is that I have made so many more recipes than what is posted onto this blog but they weren't keepers. I only post the best of the best.

So as I browse some of my favorite sites like craftzine.com they regularly link to other sites or blogs. This is where I found a homemade Twix bar recipe. This sounded like a great challenge and loads of fun. This recipe did come out great but I would tweak a couple of things next time it like: make double of the shortbread recipe and half of the caramel sauce. Also I would make more of the chocolate to spread on top. Don't be discouraged by the ground rice either. All you have to do is put white rice into a food processor and then sift it. I hope you enjoy it!

Yummy "Twix" Bars

Homemade "Twix" Bars
Made about 25 bars
Recipe courtesy of PieceLoveCooking.com

Ingredients:

For the Shortbread:

1 Stick + 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, Softened

¼ cup sugar

1 ¾ cup All purpose flour

¼ teaspoon Salt

2 Tablespoons ground rice, sifted (I used white rice)

Caramel:

2 cup sugar

¾ cup light corn syrup

½ cup water

1t Lemon Juice

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup sweetened, condensed milk

¼ teaspoon salt

Salt, for sprinkling over caramel layer (optional)

Chocolate Topping:

1 ½ cup bittersweet chocolate chips

4 Tablespoons butter

Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 and line a 9x13 baking dish with parchment paper and spray with Pam. To make the shortbread: in a mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until creamy. Gradually add the flour, salt, and ground rice. To make the ground rice flour, blend any rice that you have in your kitchen until it is a fine powder. Sift this rice power, so that there are no large rice pieces. After the dough is incorporated, press it into the prepared pan. Bake for 12 minutes, then rotate and bake for another 10 minutes until the shortbread is lightly golden. Let this cool while you make the caramel layer. To make the caramel: Combine sugar, corn syrup, water, and lemon juice in a sauté pan and cook over medium-high heat until the mixture comes to a boil (do not whisk). Once this mixture begins to turn caramel brown, insert a candy thermometer and when the mixture reaches 300 degrees F, remove from heat and let it sit for 1 minute. Whisk in the heavy cream, then the condensed milk, then salt until smooth. Return the pan back to the heat, and cook until the caramel reaches 240 degrees F. Remove from heat and pour over the shortbread. Let it set at room temperature for 2 hours. For the chocolate topping: Heat the chocolate chips and butter in a bowl in the microwave in 30 second intervals until the chocolate is just melted, then whisk until incorporated. Spread this chocolate mixture over the caramel layer until an even, thick layer of chocolate covers the caramel. Cool in the refrigerator until you are ready to cut. Cut the Twix Bars into small rectangles. Wrap in wax paper and keep refrigerated.

The rice being sifted after going through the food processor.

Shortbread mixture ready to be pressed into pan.

Boiling caramel mixture.

Caramel pored over shortbread and ready to be refrigerated.