The title of this post is a bit of a misnomer. Millionaire’s shortbread is, according to Wikipedia, “a biscuit confectionery item consisting of a rectangular shortbread biscuit base topped with a very soft caramel filling and a milk chocolate topping.” This recipe is a deluxe version incorporating peanuts and sea salt – more of a billionaire’s shortbread! It’s rich, rich, rich… and delicious, delicious, delicious!
Cakes & Bakes: Millionaire’s shortbread
Ingredients
- for the base
- 250 g/9oz plain flour
- 75 g/3oz light brown soft sugar
- 175 g/6oz butter melted
- for the caramel
- 100 g/4oz golden syrup
- 125 g/4½oz butter cubed
- 2 x 397g cans condensed milk
- 200 g/8oz) salted roasted peanuts
- for the chocolate topping
- 200 g/8oz dark chocolate broken up into small pieces
- 50 g/2oz butter cubed
- 1 tsp sea salt flakes
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 170ºC/150ºC fan/325 F/gas mark 3
- Line a 22cm/8inch square cake tin with aluminium foil
- Mix the flour & sugar together, make a well in the centre and pour over the butter. Stir to combine
- Press evenly into the cake tin using the back of a dessert spoon
- Bake for 20-30 minutes until a light golden brown
- Allow to cool completely while you make the caramel
- Put all the caramel ingredients except for the peanuts in a heavy-based saucepan
- Heat gently, stirring constantly, until the butter has melted. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring all the time until the caramel is pale & golden
- Stir in the peanuts and spread evenly over the shortbread base using a palette knife
- Refrigerate for about half an hour until just set
- Put the chocolate pieces and butter cubes into a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (making sure that the bottom of the bowl doesn’t come into direct contact with the water). Mix together until melted
- Pour onto & spread evenly over the caramel layer using a palette knife
- Sprinkle the sea salt flakes evenly over the top
- Refrigerate for about half an hour until just set
- Slice into portions with a sharp knife and serve
I always have a few cans of condensed milk stored in our larder.
To make caramel, put the unopened tins in a heavy-based saucepan and completely cover with water. Cover the saucepan with its lid and boil for about 1½ hours, topping up the water level if needed. The tins can be stored for months & months before use.
When you’re ready to make your caramel layer just follow the same instructions except that there’s no need to simmer the mixture. Mix the ingredients together using a metal whisk to ensure there are no lumps.
This tinned caramel sauce is great for making banofee pie too!