White Chocolate Caramel Shortbread Bars (gluten free, dairy free and vegan)
My gluten free, dairy free and vegan White Chocolate Caramel Shortbread Bars combine a buttery shortbread biscuit base, a gooey caramel middle and are coated in a delicious dairy free white chocolate. They are basically the equivalent of a white chocolate Twix bar, and make for a delicious. treat! If you do make this recipe I’d love to see, don’t forget to tag me in your photos over on social media!
Frequently asked questions
Which cream do you use for the caramel?
For this recipe I used the Alpro Single Soy cream however any single soy cream would work.
Which butter do you use for the shortbread?
For this recipe (and the majority of my baking) I use the Stork ‘perfect for baking’ 250g gold packet butter which is naturally dairy free. Note: This is the only Stork butter that doesn’t contain milk so be careful to pick up the right packet.
How do I know if the caramel is ready?
The caramel will take around 15 minutes and will still be slightly runny. You can test it is ready by dropping a small amount into a bowl of cold water, if it forms a soft caramel ball when pushed together this means it is ready.
How long do they take to set?
The caramel layer will need atleast an hour in the fridge to set before being coated in chocolate. The chocolate will take around an hour to set.
Which cake tin do you use for this recipe?
For this recipe I use a standard 20cm springform square baking tin. You can purchase one by clicking here.
How long do they last?
They will last for around 4 days in an airtight container, however are always best served on the day you make them.
Which dairy free white chocolate do you use?
Any dairy free white chocolate will work, however I used the Free From Kitchen White Chocolate Bar which is available in Tesco.
White Chocolate Caramel Shortbread Bars
Ingredients
For the shortbread
- 250 g gluten free plain flour
- 75 g caster sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 175 g dairy free butter block *See FAQs
For the caramel
- 120 g caster sugar
- 100 g golden syrup
- 30 g dairy free butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 130 g dairy free soy cream *See FAQs
For the chocolate
- 250 g dairy free white chocolate
- 50 g dairy free milk chocolate (Optional to drizzle)
Instructions
For the shortbread
- Pre heat your oven to 180C and grease and line a 20cm square baking tin.
- Add your butter and sugar to a large mixing bowl. Cream together with an electric whisk for a few minutes until smooth. Add the flour and xantham gum and mix together until a dough is formed. Press the dough into your lined baking tin.
- Bake for around 25-30 minutes, until slightly golden on top and firm to touch. Remove from the oven and leave to cool whilst you make the caramel.
For the caramel
- Add your caster sugar, golden syrup, vanilla extract and soy cream to a saucepan and place over a low heat. Stir until fully combined and then stir in the butter and bring to a simmer on a medium heat.
- Simmer for around 15 minutes, continuing to stir constantly so it doesn't stick or burn. The caramel will start to thicken up but will still be slightly runny. You wil be able to tell it's ready by dropping a small amount into a bowl of cold water, it should form a soft caramel ball when pressed together.
- Pour the caramel on top of the shortbread biscuit and place in the fridge to set for atleast an hour.
Assemble
- Once the caramel is firmly set, remove from the tin and cut into 12 equal sized Twix bars using a sharp knife. Place the bars onto a sheet of baking paper.
- Melt the dairy free white chocolate in a large bowl and carefully dip the bars into the chocolate until fully coated (make sure to only briefly dip the bars so they don't break in the warm chocolate). Place back on the baking sheet and repeat for the rest of the bars.
- Place the bars back in the fridge to fully set. Optional: Melt some dairy free milk chocolate to drizzle on top for decoration.
I absolutely love seeing what you’ve created, so if you do make this recipe (or any other recipe from my website) don’t forget to tag me over on my social media pages @glutenfreealice and use the hashtag #glutenfreealice