Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter
- ½ cup lightly packed dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (I used fleur de sel)
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 14 oz. can of dulce de leche
- ½ cup white sugar
- ½ cup pecans, toasted
- ½ cup peanuts, toasted
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Lightly grease a 9 1/2-inch round fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. If you don’t have a pan with a removable bottom you could line a 8-inch square cake pan with aluminum foil, leaving an overhang of foil on two opposite sides so you can easily lift the shortbread out of the pan.
- In a small saucepan over medium melt the butter and continue to cook until it caramelizes and emits a nutty, butterscotch aroma. You will notice brown flecks in the bottom of the pan as the butter deepens in color. Be careful not to burn the butter. Remove from the heat.
- In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter with the brown sugar, vanilla and salt. Add the flour and mix until incorporated. Spread the dough evenly in the prepared pan. Let stand for at least 2 hours or preferably overnight. (Do not refrigerate)
- Preheat oven to 300°F.
- Bake the shortbread for 45 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven. Put the dulce de leche on top. If it doesn’t spread easily, stick it back in the oven for a few minutes to melt it a little bit. Spread it all over the tart, covering the whole thing. Refrigerate until needed.
- Heat a saute pan on low. Sprinkle on the white sugar and let it heat without stirring until the sugar begins to melt. Do not stir, but swirl the pan around gently until the sugar is completely melted. Toss in the toasted nuts and sprinkle with a bit of salt if desired. Place on a greased plate or marble counter top until the nuts have hardened. Once they have, chop them up into small pieces. Sprinkle them onto the tart, pressing in slightly.
- Place your chocolate into a microwaveable bowl. Heat on high for 45 seconds, stir. Heat at 15-second intervals, stirring in between, until chocolate is completely melted. Drizzle on top of tart.
Keywords: brown butter, pecans, caramel, dulce de leche, tart, dessert