Ketolicious Millionaire's Shortbread

 

As those three of you who read this blog can see, I've been on a mission lately to combine el esposo's favorite two dessert flavors: chocolate and peanut butter in a variety of ways. Otherwise he just sits with a spoon and mindlessly eats out of the 40 oz. sugar-free peanut butter jar & then dumps 1/2 cup of sugar-free chocolate chips in a dish and eats those. Combining them into a dessert makes him more aware that he is in fact eating dessert and therefore he eats less. Portion-control is key to weight-loss and maintenance. So... since he is also a fan of those dreadful Atkins peanut butter bars, I decided to conjure up a much more fulfilling version and Millionaire shortbread came to mind. 

A relatively modern twist on the more traditional Scottish shortbread, Millionaire’s Shortbread follows the Scottish tradition of making a traybake (a dessert baked in a tray to be sliced and shared after cooking). Using the traditional buttery shortbread as a base, Millionaire’s Shortbread adds lush layers of caramel and chocolate atop the shortbread—a decadent treat. 

I combined about four different recipe ideas and condensed them into one! There are many ways to go about making the dish, all of them great, but since el esposo hates caramel and loves peanut butter I subbed in peanut butter with Lakanto keto "maple" syrup , a little cream cheese, and coconut oil in place of the usual sugar-free caramel sauce. It worked beautifully. Almond butter or even tahini sauce would also work, if you're allergic to peanuts. 

So, this is a simple dish but a little laborious. First you will bake the crust, let it cool, then stick it in the freezer to further firm up for 10 minutes before adding the peanut butter caramel layer, after adding that layer, you will firm it up in the freezer for 10-15 minutes again, then you will add the chocolate ganache over that and freeze it all for 10 minutes. When the chocolate is set? It's ready to eat, but cutting it requires care. Use a large knife that you have wet with hot water, wipe the knife, and cut the bar in half, wet, wipe repeat... until you get 16 pieces. try not to saw the pieces, try to use the entire blade of the knife (a 10 or 12 inch chef's knife worked for me) and press downward evenly from the tip to the hilt in one sure steady downward stroke using your bodyweight. This will prevent the chocolate and the shortbread from cracking and crumbling:






 There are no-bake versions of the crust, but those would be a mealy mess. Baking the shortbread gives an aroma and texture that is worth the trouble. Take the time to do it right. You're combining all the same ingredients and pressing them into a parchment lined dish anyway, so just go ahead and take the little extra time to bake and cool the shortbread, rather than just freezing it for ten minutes to firm up. These bars will store in the fridge for two weeks or the freezer for three months. I do not recommend storing them at room temperature for any length of time. The chocolate ganache will melt. 

Ketolicious Millionaire's Shortbread 

Note: Do be sure to soften the butter, cream cheese, peanut butter, melt the coconut oil (microwave everything individually for 20-30 seconds, if you're in a hurry) and have everything else at room temperature before combining the ingredients. I used a mixing bowl and arm power to combine everything but you can use a food processor, instead. 

I don't microwave the sugar-free chocolate chips, I melt them with 3 tablespoons of coconut oil in a small heavy-bottomed sauce pan over low heat, stirring constantly with a silicon spatula, but you can nuke them instead. I just like stirring the pot. It soothes me. 

Preheat your oven to 355 degrees. Gather all your ingredients, measuring spoons, and cups, whisks and bowls including an 8x8 or 9x9 square dish which you will line with parchment paper. You will make the crust, then the peanut butter caramel, then the chocolate ganache. 

Each bar has about 312 calories and 2 net carbs. 

Let the madness begin!

For the sugar-free shortbread crust

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup coconut flour
• 2/3 cup superfine almond flour
• 1/4 cup granulated erythritol (Swerve)
• 8 drops stevia
• 1 stick butter (softened) (1/2 cup)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp psyllium husk (or xanthum gum)

Instructions:

• Preheat the oven to 355 Fahrenheit.
• Whisk your dry ingredients until well-combined.
• Add the softened butter, vanilla/almond extract and stevia and mix with a flexible spatula until you have a smooth dough.
• Press the dough evenly into your parchment-lined baking dish.
• Place the dough in the freezer for 10 minutes.
• This will harden the butter and provide for a more tender pastry.
• Place baking dish in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until the crust smells fragrant and has a slightly golden top.
• Allow to cool completely, then place in the freezer for 10 minutes.
• While crust is cooling prepare your peanut butter caramel  

For the sugar-free peanut butter caramel layer

Ingredients:

• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup Lakanto sugar-free maple syrup
• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
• 2 Tablespoons softened cream cheese
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions:

1. Add peanut butter, maple syrup, coconut oil, cream cheese, vanilla extract, and salt to a bowl. Mix together with flexible spatula until combined, or whir together in a food processor. 
2. Remove baking dish from the freezer.
3. Spread caramel evenly across the shortbread layer.
4. Place in the freezer for 10 minutes.

For the chocolate ganache

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of sugar-free chocolate chips
• 3 Tablespoons of coconut oil

Instructions:

1. Place chocolate chips & coconut oil in a small heavy-bottomed sauce pan over low heat
2. Stir continuously with a silicon spatula being sure to combine well and not allow chocolate to stick or burn. About 3 minutes.
3. When chocolate is melted, remove shortbread pan from freezer, pour warm chocolate over caramel layer, spread evenly.
4. Return pan to freezer for at least 10 minutes or until chocolate sets.
5. When set, carefully cut 16 squares. Use a large knife that you have wet with hot water, wipe the knife, and cut the bar in half, wet, wipe repeat cutting the halves in half etc... until you get 16 pieces. Do not saw the pieces, try to use the entire blade of the knife (a 10 or 12 inch chef's knife worked for me) and press downward evenly from the tip to the hilt in one sure steady downward stroke using your bodyweight for one quick cut through the length of the bar. This will prevent the chocolate and the shortbread from cracking and crumbling.