Salted caramel Millionaires shortbread
Makes 1 x 33cm square tray - 16 slices
Think rich caramel bars made with three layers - crisp, buttery shortbread, thick salted caramel and chocolate ganache sprinkled with sea salt flakes.
Ingredients
For the Shortbread:
200g salted butter (room temperature)
100g golden caster sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla extract or paste
260g plain flour
20g cornflour
4g Maldon sea salt or other flaked salt
For the Caramel:
200g salted butter
50g golden caster sugar
60g (3 tbsp) of golden syrup
1 tin (395g) of condensed milk
25g ( 1 heaped Tbsp spoon) treacle
4g Maldon sea salt or other flaked salt
For the Chocolate:
200g dark chocolate
50g salted butter
Method
Preheat the oven to 180c bake. Grease and line a 33cm (9inch square) by 33cm baking dish by spraying the tin with baking spray and lining with baking paper, leaving enough baking paper ensuring overhang so you can pull the shortbread out of the tin once done.
For the Shortbread:
Using a stand mixer beat together the butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy, add the remaining ingredients and beat until combined.
Pop the shortbread mixture into the prepared tin and flatten with your hand or a spatula until you achieve a flat even layer. Bake for 25 to 30 mins until the mixture just turns golden. Leave to cool.
For the Caramel:
While the shortbread base is cooling. In a large heavy based saucepan add all the caramel ingredients and melt together on a medium heat until the sugar has dissolved, stir frequently to stop anything from catching.
Next turn the heat up to medium high and let the mixture bubble away, stirring constantly, so the mixture doesn’t catch at the bottom. Stir for about 5 or so minutes until the caramel is ready, you will know when you see the caramel start to thicken and pull away from the spoon/pot.
Once caramel is ready pour it onto the shortbread base and leave to set in the fridge for 1 hour.
For the Chocolate:
Melt the chocolate and butter together until incorporated and pour over the set caramel and allow to set.
Finally:
Cut the shortbread into 4 by 4 pieces using a sharp knife and store in the refrigerator.
I like to bring the slices to room temperature before eating and sprinkle each piece with extra Maldon sea salt.
NOTES + VARIATIONS
Make sure you line your baking dish and leave an overhang so it’s easy to remove.
When making the caramel make sure to stir it constantly so it doesn’t burn on the bottom.
Make sure to chill the caramel layer before adding the chocolate or there’s a chance they will mix together and you won’t have even layers.
Sea salt really enhances the chocolate flavor in millionaire’s shortbread so try not to skip it.
Cut the shortbread when chilled, but eat at room temperature…..although a nibble straight out of the fridge at midnight is perfectly delicious.