I can’t blame this little baking experiment on anyone but myself. My sweet tooth was really calling today and it was telling me I wanted something caramel. So what’s a girl to do? Lucky for me I had heavy cream in the refrigerator! Once I had the caramel made I had to then decide where I wanted to go with it. I started thinking about a certain chocolate cookie bar. <- That is an affiliate link* All of that thinking had me creating a recipe for a Turtle Shortbread Cookie Tart. It’s a mashup of a recipe from The Perfect Cookie and my little brain.

*All purchase links are affiliate links which means if you buy anything through them I will receive a small commission (at no additional charge to you)

Turtle Shortbread Cookie Tart

For the Shortbread
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup oat bran or 1/2 cup rolled oats ground in a spice mill or the blender
3/4 cup confectioner’s sugar
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
16 TBS unsalted butter, cold, cut into 16 pieces

For the Chocolate Layer
3 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 TBS coconut oil

For the Caramel Layer
1 cup granulated sugar
6 TBS butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped

Make the caramel sauce:
Add the sugar to a heavy bottomed, tall sided pot over medium high heat.
Stir constantly until the sugar melts. As it starts to melt it will form lumps before it liquefies. Just keep stirring.
Add the butter. The mixture will bubble furiously. BE CAREFUL.
If you cannot see the video you can watch it on YouTube HERE
When the butter is fully melted add the heavy cream. THE MIXTURE WILL BUBBLE EVEN MORE FURIOUSLY WHEN THE COLD CREAM HITS THE HOT CARAMEL.
Just keep stirring. Be careful, boiling sugar is hot stuff.
Add the salt and stir for another minute.
Remove from the heat and store in a mason jar or other container that can handle the hot caramel.

Make the Shortbread:
Preheat the oven to 400°
Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper. Take a 10″ springform pan apart. Remove the bottom plate and reclip the top piece. Put this on the parchment and set aside
Add the flour, oat bran, confectioner’s sugar, cornstarch and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attached. Mix on low until combined.
With the mixer running toss the pieces of butter in, one by one. Continue mixing until the dough comes together - about 3 - 5 minutes.

Press the dough onto the prepared baking sheet using the springform pan top as a guide.
Be sure to press the dough evenly along the bottom and about 1/2″ up the sides
Prick the dough with a fork all across the bottom

Bake in the preheated oven for 5 minutes then lower the temperature to 250° and bake for another 12 - 15 minutes until lightly browned.
Carefully remove from baking sheet to a wire rack to cool.

Remove the springform and cool completely.
Melt the chocolate and the coconut oil until smooth.

Pour over the top of the shortbread and carefully tilt the tart until the chocolate evenly covers the top.
Place the cookie tart in the freezer to help the chocolate set.

When the chocolate has hardened, pour the caramel sauce over top and tilt the tart to spread evenly.

Top with the toasted walnuts.

How Was the Turtle Shortbread Cookie Tart?

Really? You have to ask? It’s shortbread, chocolate, caramel and nuts. OK - this was a new shortbread recipe for me and I was very pleasantly surprised. The taste is delicate and slightly nutty. It is light yet holds it’s shape.

We both enjoyed it very much. The shortbread melts in your mouth, the caramel is just sweet enough and the semisweet chocolate adds that slightly dark contrast you want in a dessert. At least I do. You don’t need a big piece because it’s quite rich. I will admit that “turtle” is a favorite flavor combination for me. I’ve made a Turtle Cheesecake and Turtle Brownies. But seriously - chocolate, caramel and nuts are classics.

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