We leave for Australia in a week, and I’ve been stressing about everything that needs to get done before we leave. That doesn’t even take into account all that I have to do at work before I leave for three weeks. I’m just trying not to think about that. I’m more concerned with things like getting the dog a booster shot so she can get boarded at the kennel; getting all the presents together that we are taking with us; cleaning the house at least a little (I hate coming back to a messy house); figuring out all the food that I can take on the plane with me to feed me for over 24 hours of travel; etc., etc., etc.So why am I baking cookies??? Because it’s Christmas, and that’s what I do at Christmas. I did not decorate my house this year (other than a wreath on the front door), so I needed to do something to get into the spirit. And I find baking to be soothing.

Millionaire’s Shortbread Bars
(Joyofbaking.com)

Ingredients:

Shortbread:
3/4 cup (1 1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups gluten-free flour blend
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/8 teaspoon salt

Caramel filling:
1 - 14 ounce can Dulce de Leche or sweetened condensed milk

Chocolate topping:
6 ounces semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, cut into pieces
1/2 teaspoon unsalted butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease with butter (or use a cooking spray) a 9 x 9 inch pan.

For Shortbread:
- Cream the butter and sugar until just light and fluffy (do not overbeat). Beat in the vanilla extract.
- Add the flour, xanthan gum, and salt and beat until the dough just comes together.
- Press onto the bottom of your greased pan and bake for about 20 minutes, or until pale golden in color.
- Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool while you make the filling.

For Caramel Filling:
- If using Dulce de Leche then simply warm the caramel in the microwave or in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water.
- If using sweetened condensed milk, pour the milk into a heatproof bowl and place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Cover and cook, over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 45 to 60 minutes or until the milk has thickened and has turned a light caramel color.
- Remove from heat and beat until smooth.
- Pour the caramel over the baked shortbread and leave to set.

Note: You can also do this step in a microwave oven. Place the sweetened condensed milk in a large microwaveable bowl and cook on medium power for about 4 minutes, stirring halfway through baking time. Reduce the powder to medium-low and continue to cook for another 8 to 12 minutes, or until the milk has thicken and has turned a light caramel color. Remove from microwave and beat until smooth. (This is what I did.)

For Topping:
- Melt the chocolate and butter either in the microwave oven or in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water.
- Pour the melted chocolate evenly over the caramel and leave to set.
- Cut the shortbread into pieces using a sharp knife.
- Store the shortbread in the refrigerator to keep the chocolate nice and firm.

Note: Cut shortbread after the chocolate has time to set but before putting in the refrigerator as cold chocolate does not cut well.

(I used the same flour blend for these cookies that I used for my Ischl Tart cookies. You can find the blend there. It has a bit of almond flour in it. I ended up just grinding almonds in the blender then sifting that with the rest of the flour. It worked just fine.)