Let me start this blog post by saying this recipe is bad for your health. There’s butter on butter action and LOTS of sugar. But that’s enough said about that, because this shortbread is insanely good!
It’s buttery and short (as a shortbread should be!), with just a hint of peanut butter running through the biscuit. The caramel on top is smooth, salty and simply delicious. In fact, the salted caramel alone would make an excellent homemade Christmas gift. It would be delicious dolloped on top of some vegan ice cream… or right from the jar if you are a sweet-toothed maniac.
Oh! And let’s not forget the crunchy toffee shards that finish these biscuits off perfectly. They don’t look much in the picture above, but they add the perfect bit of bite to your biscuit that make this biscuit a little extra special. That’s if you can stop yourself from eating the toffee right off of the tray of course.
If you’re looking for a special something to share with loved ones this festive season, you really couldn’t go wrong with this. While it may not be a traditional Christmas bake, it definitely fits with the excess of the season!
Warning: this is one of those bakes that will have your non-vegan friends saying, “I can’t believe there’s no butter!”
Vegan Peanut Butter & Salted Caramel Shortbread
Makes 32
Ingredients
For the Shortbread:
420g Vegan Butter
5 tbsp Peanut Butter
220g Caster Sugar
680g Plain Flour
For the Salted Caramel:
300g Caster Sugar
5 tbsp Cold Water
100ml Coconut Milk (the tinned variety – make sure it is full fat)
100g Vegan Butter
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 tbsp Roasted and Salted Peanuts, chopped
For the Peanut Toffee Shards:
100g Caster Sugar
2 tbsp Cold Water
2 tbsp Roasted and Salted Peanuts, chopped
Method
Shortbread Biscuits:
- Beat the butter and sugar with a mixer until creamy. Add the peanut butter and beat further until well combined.
- Sift in the flour and mix with a wooden spoon. Then, using your hands, bring the mixture together into a dough ball.
- Wrap the dough ball tightly in cling film and then place in the refrigerator for 20 minutes, or until firm.
- Roll out the dough to roughly 1cm thick then cut out discs using a 6.5cm round biscuit cutter (or to desired size).
- Arrange the shortbread onto a lined baking tray and then chill for a further 15 minutes
- While biscuits are chilling, preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius
- Place biscuits in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes or until turning golden
- Leave to cool on the tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely
Salted Caramel:
- Put the sugar and water into a deep pan and place over a medium heat. Heat gently until the sugar has completely dissolved.
- Once the sugar has dissolved, bring the syrup to the boil and leave to bubble until it begins turning a golden caramel color – avoid touching the mixture or stirring the mixture while it’s bubbling
- Remove the pan from the heat and then carefully add the coconut cream and butter – the mixture will sputter a little, so be careful
- Return the pan to a low heat and stir gently until the butter is completely melted and you have a smooth caramel sauce
- Remove from the heat and stir through the chopped peanuts and salt – transfer to a heat proof bowl and leave to cool and thicken completely
Peanut Toffee Shard:
- Lightly brush oil over a baking tray then scatter over the chopped peanuts
- Het the sugar and water in a small pan over medium heat until the sugar has completely dissolved
- Bring to the boil and leave to bubble away until you have a golden caramel colour
- Remove from the heat and quickly pour the caramel over the peanuts on your oiled tray
- Leave to cool and set completely
When you’re ready to assemble, spoon the peanut caramel topping over the shortcake biscuit, then break up the toffee mixture roughly and place shard pieces on top.
Ready for Pinning!
