Twix Cookie Dough Shortbread Bars

 I saw this quote today...

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." - Søren Kierkegaard

This couldn't be more true. As you go through life things rarely make sense. We can only understand what happens in life after we have already lived it. Life must be lived forward, because you can't dwell on the past, or stop time. You have to keep moving forward, have purpose, get excited, plan, dream, love, do. Things don't go as planned. Rarely do they ever. I have done things I am proud of and I have done things I am not. They make me who I am and they make others who they are. Life is like a rollercoaster. You can either scream every time you hit a bump or throw your hands up in the air and enjoy it :)

P.S. I made Twix Cookie Dough Shortbread Bars. Hellsssss yeah. It's a long one, but they are gooooood.

Twix Cookie Dough Shortbread Bars

Shortbread Ingredients

½ cup butter, softened

¼ cup sugar

½ tsp vanilla

1 cup flour

Twix Dough Ingredients

2½ cups Twix Candy Bars (about 10), divided

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

¾ cup light brown sugar

2¼ cup all purpose flour

½ tsp salt

3 tbsp milk

1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
 

Chocolate Ganache

1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

½ cup heavy cream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Line an 8" X 8" pan with parchment paper making sure there is paper over the edge. This will help when removing the bars from the pan.

2. Cream butter until light and fluffy. Add sugar, beating again until light and fluffy.

3. Add vanilla and mix. 

4. Add flour, ½ cup at a time. Make sure it is well combined and then add the rest of the flour. Mix well.

5. Dump dough into the prepared pan. Press down gently to the edges - don't pack it. (Laying a piece of wax paper over the dough before pressing down can assist with spreading and leveling.)

6. Bake at 325° for 12-15 minutes or until the top turns light brown. Let it completely cool.

7. For the dough rough chop the Twix bars. Reserve ½-¾ cup for topping the ganache.

8. Using a hand mixer and a medium size bowl, combine the butter and the two sugars. Mix until smooth.

9. Add the flour and salt. Mix until just combined. The mixture will be crumbly.

10. Add the milk and vanilla extract. Mix until the dough is soft.

11. Add the chopped Twix bars and mix by hand until combined.

12. Put the dough on top of the cooled shortbread and press to the edges of the pan using a spatula or your fingers. Set aside.

13. For the ganache combine chocolate chips and heavy cream in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave at 30 second intervals, stirring after each time, until melted and smooth. Whisk together until it thickens and place in refrigerator for 10 minutes. 

14. Remove from refrigerator and spread chocolate over top of dough. Sprinkle with reserved Twix pieces.

15. Allow to set for 30 minutes in the refrigerator until firm. Store in fridge.