Homemade Twix Bars

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a 9×13″ pan with parchment paper, or spray really well with non-stick cooking spray.

For the Shortbread Crust:

• In a large bowl, use a pastry blender to combine the butter, sugar, flour, and vanilla until the mixture comes together. Press the shortbread dough into the pan.
• Bake for 28-35 minutes or until the crust is very lightly golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

For the Caramel:

• Combine all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
• Maintain the heat at medium and bring mixture to a rolling boil, stirring often.
• Continue to cook, stirring constantly until the mixture reaches the soft ball stage, about 15-20 minutes).
• I test the “doneness” of the caramels using the ice water method: Stick several ice cubes in a cup and add cold water. Drop a spoonful of caramel into the ice water. If you’re able to clump the caramel sauce together in your hands to form a very soft ball, then it’s ready. When the caramel starts to turn golden brown, I do the ice water test every few minutes until I find that it’s ready, just to make sure I don’t overcook it.
• Once it reaches soft ball stage, remove from heat and pour the warm caramel over the cooled shortbread crust. Allow to cool for a few minutes,  then refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.

For the chocolate:

• Add the butter and chocolate to a bowl and use a double boiler (or your microwave at low power, 30 second intervals, stirring in between) to melt the chocolate until smooth.
• Pour melted chocolate over the set up caramel and smooth into an even layer. Refrigerate until the chocolate is set.
• Store in the fridge, covered, for up to 1 week.