Recipe: Millionaire's Shortbread

It's all about the layers

Shortbread:

115g butter

56g caster sugar

170g plain flour

Caramel:

115g butter

115g caster sugar

4 tablespoons of condensed milk

2 tablespoons maple syrup

Topping:

170g plain chocolate

By far the easiest thing I have made this year, and even better, all the ingredients – bar the condensed milk – I already had leftover in the cupboard from previous bakes.

Preheat the oven to 180C.

First, break up the butter and caster sugar in a bowl, then add in the flour to make a firm pastry. 

Line a tray with baking paper, and press the pastry firmly into the bottom.  Then cook in oven for around 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown.  Leave to cool.

To make the caramel, put all the ingredients into a saucepan and bring to the boil.  Simmer for 5 minutes.  Watch the pan, as it boils quite ferociously and careful not to splash yourself.  Once it is at a thick-ish consistency, pour over the top of the shortbread and leave to cool. 

Melt the chocolate in a bowl.  If you are melting it in the microwave, do it in short bursts as to not burn it.  Once smooth, pour over the caramel, and leave to set. 

And you're done. Easy peasy! 

Tip: Once the chocolate has set, take the biscuit out of the tray and cut squares into the biscuit before putting it in the fridge.  Trying to slice through hardened chocolate makes messy presentation (if you’re a perfectionist like me, you’ll know how heart breaking it is to serve Millionaire’s Shortbread with crumbled bits of chocolate everywhere).