Ingredients
Shortbread
250g plain flour
75g caster sugar
175g softened butter
Caramel
100g butter
100g light muscvado sugar
2 397g cans condensed milk
Topping
200g milk chocolate (and some white to decorate if feeling artistic)
- Pre-heat the oven to 180'C/Gas mark 4. Lightly grease a 13 x 9inch (33x23cm) Swiss roll tin.
- To make the shortbread, mix the flour and caster sugar in a bowl. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Knead the mixture together until it forms a dough, then press into the base of the prepared tin (you will think the layer is too thin, but go with it). Prick the shortbread lightly with a fork and bake in the pre-heated oven for about 20 minutes or until firm to the touch and very lightly browned. Cool in the tin.
- To make the caramel, measure the butter, sugar and condensed milk into a pan and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil, stirring all the time, then reduce the heat and simmer very gently, stirring continuously, for about 5 minutes or until the mixture has thickened slightly. Pour over the shortbread and leave to cool.
- For the topping, melt the chocolate slowly in a bowl over a pan of hot water. Pour over the cold caramel and leave to set if you want to decorate, melt some white chocolate and ribbon or feather artistically over the milk chocolate before it sets. Cut into squares or bars.
Method
Millionaire's shortbread is a classic bake. It is puckeringly sweet with tons of sugar per piece so is really an occasional treat. However, it is very good - softness of caramel, crunch of butter shortbread and hit of chocolate. What is not to like.
Ones you buy are often too think to handle properly - shortbread too thick means the caramel gets squeezed onto your lap when you try and bite it, or a chocolate substitute used on top which is also too thick and has the same effect on the caramel. This recipe strikes a good balance. Thinnish biscuit with decadent caramel layer and thin chocolate. In fact the Eldest thought the shortbread was too thin when she first spread it, but it all worked out fine. The recipe is originally a Mary Berry, I am pleased to report
The only issue perhaps is that the full quantity of this recipe makes a LOT of cake - and given its richness you might struggle to finish it while it is fresh. So unless you are cooking for a bake sale, maybe
This is a first for the blog here - a recipe picked out by and made by the Eldest. She was (being temporarily back from her travels and short on cash) confined to barracks for the day and wanted to make something she hasn't made before. This was meant to be a joint initiative with the Youngest but, being as they are in a phase of mutual winding-up that was never going to last long. So the youngest did the shopping for ingredients (thanks to the local shop), the eldest ended up making this on her own. As you can see from the picture, it all worked out pretty well! And her RaRa loved it...