Today I’m delighted to welcome back Chloe from The Loveliest Food to the Blog. Chloe is our resident food expert and today brings you a recipe for one of my favourite things of all time; Millionaires shortbread. What’s not to love in this classic tray bake recipe…shortbread, caramel and chocolate all in one delicious mouth full! This is another recipe I will be trying out in the next few weeks, I just hope mine turn out as perfectly as Chloe’s!

Millionaires Shortbread

I’ll pass you over to Chloe…..

I’ve tried numerous recipes to make millionaires shortbread but none have turned out anywhere near as good as this one. Providing you master the caramel it’s not sickly like a lot of shop bought versions and the ratio’s are just about perfect. It took me two attempts to really know when the caramel was ready (it will take at least 15 minutes) but if you’re patient it’s amazing!

Ingredients : For the shortbread:

125g unsalted butter or baking margarine
50g golden caster sugar
175g plain flour
Pinch of salt

For the topping:

200g condensed milk
125g unsalted butter or baking margarine
125g golden caster sugar
2 tbsp golden syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
200g milk chocolate

Recipe:

STEP 1) Preheat the oven to 170′c fan and line a 18 x 28cm baking tray with greaseproof paper (leave enough to hang over the sides and therefore lift out afterwards)

STEP 2) To make the shortbread cream together the butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy

STEP3) Mix in the sifted flour and salt and whisk until you have crumbly dough

STEP 4) Pour the mixture into the lined baking tray and as you press it down into the corners it will form a smooth biscuit base. Prick all over with a fork then bake for 15 – 20 minutes, or until just turning golden, then take out and allow it to cool

STEP 5) To make the caramel put all the topping ingredients (except the chocolate of course) into a saucepan on a medium heat. Stir continuously until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is boiling. Keep stirring to prevent the caramel on the bottom of the pan from burning.

STEP 6) Heat until it becomes a nice brown, caramel colour and it is thick (if you have a sugar thermometer it needs to get to 107′c if not be patient, it will take around 15 minutes and really thicken up) then remove from the heat and pour over the biscuit base to cool.

STEP 7) Once the caramel has set melt the chocolate in a bamboree (a bowl over a pan of simmering water) then pour over the caramel and smooth out with a wooden spoon.

STEP 8) Allow the chocolate to cool to room temperature then to set fully in the fridge overnight or at least a few hours before slicing!