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Pine Nut Caramel Shortbread Recipe

Pine Nut Caramel Shortbread Recipe photo by Taste of Home

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“I have a love affair with pine nuts and decided to use them in place of pecans in a friend’s caramel bar recipe. I think you’ll like the results as well as my family does.” —Dara Michalski, Sandy, Utah

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Pine Nut Caramel Shortbread Recipe

Prep: 30 min. Bake: 20 min. + cooling

Yield: 48 Servings

30 20 50

Ingredients

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
FILLING:
3/4 cup butter, cubed
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups pine nuts
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Coarse salt, optional

Directions

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Pat onto the bottom of a greased 15-in.x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Prick dough thoroughly with a fork.
Bake at 375° for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Reduce temperature to 325°.
In a large saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, honey, sugar, cream and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until a candy thermometer reads 234° (soft-ball stage). Remove from the heat; stir in pine nuts and vanilla. Spread evenly over crust.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly. Place pan on a wire rack.
Sprinkle the top with coarse salt if desired. Cool completely. Cut into bars. Store in an airtight container. Yield: 4 dozen.

Nutritional Facts 1 bar (calculated without coarse salt) equals 167 calories, 10 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 20 mg cholesterol, 103 mg sodium, 17 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 2 g protein.

Originally published as Pine Nut Caramel Shortbread in Taste of Home April/May 2011, p34

Pine Nuts

Also know as pignolia or pinon, the pine nut is the small seed from one of several pine tree varieties. They are small elongated ivory-colored nuts measuring about 3/8 inch long and having a soft texture and a buttery flavor. Frequently used in Italian dishes and sauces such as pesto, pine nuts are often toasted to enhance their flavor.

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Pine Nut Caramel Shortbread

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Reviewed on Jan. 21, 2013 by HarleyDana

I JUST HAVE TO SAY THAT THIS RECIPE IS OUT OF BOUNDS....AND SHUT THE FRONT DOOR....IT DESERVES 10 STARS I DID NOT CHANGE ANYTTHING....TRUST ME U CANT HAVE JUST ONE....SIMPLY YUMMOLICIOUS...I WOULD LIKE TO TRY THIS RECIPE WITH WALNUTS OF PECANS NEXT TIME

Reviewed on Apr. 03, 2011 by Mimi Bacon

I did not have the size of pan the recipe called for, so I used the Pyrex 13x8x2"pan. The bars are chewy. I will toast the pine nuts next time to bring out more of the flavor. I had a bag of pine nuts that I was so happy to use, rather than just in Pesto.