Description
Delightful leftover candy shortbread bars offer a sweet solution for post-holiday treats. Crumbly, buttery shortbread meets chopped chocolate bars, creating a simple dessert you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups leftover candy pieces (such as M&M’s, chopped peanut butter cups, chopped candy bars, etc.)
Sweeteners and Flavor Enhancers:
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Seasoning:
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Optional Topping:
- 1 cup white chocolate chips or chopped white chocolate
Instructions
- Prepare the baking vessel by lining an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper, ensuring edges extend for effortless removal. Preheat the oven to 300F (150C).
- In a spacious mixing bowl, whip butter and sugar until achieving a pillowy, aerated consistency with a pale, creamy texture.
- Gently incorporate flour and salt into the butter mixture, blending until the dough coheres into a uniform mass.
- Distribute the dough evenly across the prepared pan, using fingertips or a spatula to create a smooth, compact layer.
- Position the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, monitoring until the edges turn a delicate golden hue and the surface appears set.
- Allow the shortbread to cool completely within the pan, enabling it to firm up and stabilize.
- Artfully scatter leftover candy pieces across the cooled shortbread surface, ensuring consistent distribution.
- For the white chocolate drizzle, utilize a microwave-safe container to melt chips in 30-second intervals, stirring between each cycle until achieving a silky, glossy consistency.
- Cascade the molten white chocolate over the candy-studded surface, creating an elegant, marbled effect.
- Refrigerate for approximately 30 minutes to solidify the chocolate and set the topping.
- Utilize the extended parchment edges to extract the shortbread from the pan, then slice into precise, rectangular bars for serving.
Notes
- Choose high-quality butter for a rich, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread texture that elevates the entire dessert experience.
- Chill the dough for 15 minutes before pressing into the pan to prevent spreading and ensure clean, crisp edges during baking.
- Mix different candy types for a colorful, surprising flavor profile that makes each bite unique and exciting.
- Use a sharp knife dipped in hot water for clean, precise cuts when serving the bars, preventing crumbling and maintaining a professional presentation.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 16
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 40 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg