Cinnamon-Caramel Swirl Shortbread

You may think pairing cinnamon and caramel is odd, but in reality it is a perfectly matched combination of flavors. I've never made shortbread before, but I found this recipe to be surprisingly easy. The topping was probably the hardest part, mainly because you have to constantly stir the mixture so it doesn't stick in a clump to the bottom of your pan and I had some serious issues with the drizzling. I would have liked to see a little more detail on what they think the best way to drizzle is. Using a spoon to drizzle resulted in blobs of caramel, which was not as aesthetically pleasing but still resulted in a tasty treat.

Cinnamon-Caramel Swirl Shortbread

(Source: The King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion)

1/4 cup cinnamon sugar

Dough:

1 cup unsalted butter

1 tsp salt

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

Topping:

14-16 vanilla caramel candies

1 Tbsp cream or milk

1. Preheat the oven to 35o°F. Lightly grease two 9-inch round cake pans. Sprinkle the bottom of each pan with about 1 Tbsp cinnamon sugar.

2. In a medium sized bowl, cream together the butter, salt, sugar, and vanilla, then beat in the flour. Divide the dough in half, and press it into the prepared pans, smoothing the surface with your fingers. Sprinkle the top of both pans with the remaining cinnamon sugar. Prick the dough with a fork in an attractive pattern.

3. Bake the shortbread for 35-4o minutes, until it's golden brown around the edges. remove from the oven and loosen edges with a knife. Wait 5 minutes, then carefully turn the shortbread out onto a clean work surface, all in one piece.

4. Using a pizza wheel, baker's bench knife, or sharp knife, cut each round into 12 wedges (Do this while the shortbread is still warm; if you wait until it's cool, it won't cut easily). Transfer the wedges to a rack to cool.

5. Heat the caramels and milk in a microwave-safe bowl, or in saucepan set over low heat. Stir until the caramels melt and the mixture is smooth. Drizzle the topping over the cooled shortbread wedges. If it becomes too thick to drizzle, reheat briefly. Allow the caramel to set before wrapping the shortbreads for storage.

Makes 2 dozen wedges.