Ingredients

• 7/8 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
• 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk

Instructions

1. Line the bottom and sides of a 9x13x 2 inch pan with buttered parchment or foil.

2. Set a rack in the lowest level of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.

3. For the dough, beat the butter, sugar and salt with an electric mixer that has a paddle attachment, on medium speed, until soft and light, about 2-3 minutes.

4. Beat in the vanilla and then on lowest speed add the flour, scraping the bowl and paddle with a rubber spatula and continuing to mix until the dough is smooth.

5. Scrape 3/4 of the dough into the prepared pan.

6. Use the palm of your hands to press the dough down evenly, without compressing it any more than necessary.

7. Chill the dough lined pan, and reserve the remaining dough at room temperature.

8. For the filling, bring the butter, corn syrup, and sweetened condensed milk to a simmer in a medium saucepan, stirring occasionally.

9. Allow the mixture to boil gently until it starts to thicken and becomes a very light caramel color.

10. Pour the filling into a stainless steel bowl and let it cool for 5 minutes.

11. Remove the dough lined pan from refrigerator and scrape the filling onto the dough, spreading it out evenly to cover the dough.

12. Use the remaining dough to make a crumbly topping. Using your fingertips separate the dough into medium crumbs and evenly scatter them on the caramel filling.

13. Bake until the filling is a deep caramel color and the dough amd crumb topping are baked through, about 30 minutes.

14. Cool for about 10 minutes in the pan on a wire rack, then lift the slab of baked dough out of pan to a cutting board, before it has cooled completely.

15. Cut the slab into 24, 2 inch squares, store at room temperature, and serve within a couple of days.