CARAMEL FINGERS

Shortbread Base:

1 ½  C butter

3/4 c sugar

4 ½  c flour

Pour mixed shortbread into a greased x-large cookie sheet.  Press in with rolling pin or side of a round glass.  Prick with fork  or dough doppler all over.  Bake till golden- 350 15 - 20 mins.  Remove from oven and place another cookie sheet on top of the cooked shortbread, as if stacking into each other, so the bottom of the clean cookie sheet rests on top of the shortbread. Flip over and let cool, then flip back into original pan. This makes for a nice crisp shortbread, since it doesn’t steam in the pan as it cools.

You will need a cup or so of good chocolate chips, and optionally white chocolate and slivered almonds. 

Caramel:

14 oz Sweetened Condensed Milk

1 c sugar

1 c butter

2 T corn syrup

1t vanilla

Melt butter, add sugar and Sweetened Condensed Milk. then corn syrup and vanilla.  Stir on med for 12-15 minutes, making sure the bottom does not burn. Pour on top of shortbread and spread evenly.  If you want a variety of caramel fingers, cover a section with slivered almonds and cool.  

After cool, spread melted choc. chips over.  (I often melt 2/3 c. chips in a baggie in hot water, wipe bag dry, snip corner, drizzle over some or all of caramel fingers.) Cool then cut into 2" X 4" cookies (fingers). I often cut and place on serving tray in a checkerboard kind of pattern, some of the fingers I drizzle with melted white chocolate as well.  Some I leave plain caramel, though generally people mostly like chocolate on top.