Millionaire's Shortbread Bars
Millionaire shortbread, also known as millionaire's shortbread, is a confection made with layers of a high-fat, unleavened shortbread, tipped with caramelized, condensed milk, and finally chocolate and peanuts. It gets its texture from large amounts of butter, while heated condensed milk gives a creamy caramel filling, and quality baking chocolate is the base for a soft, rich topping. Additional ingredients and occasional add-ins may be incorporated. The treat is prepared in stages, with the shortbread being baked first, followed by the caramel and the chocolate.
The shortbread's origins lie in Elizabethan-era Scotland, when the food was first made using ground oats. Contemporary recipes most commonly use wheat flour, though a variety of other grain meals can be used. Candied orange peel and almonds were added for special occasions as far back as the 19th century, around the same time that contemporary baking chocolate and sweetened, condensed milk were introduced, eventually leading to millionaire shortbread.
Millionaire's Shortbread Bars
For the shortbread:
1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
3⁄4 cup ground dry-roasted peanuts
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1⁄2 tsp. table salt
1 1⁄2 sticks unsalted butter, softened (12 Tbsp.)
1⁄2 cup granulated sugar
For the caramel:
1 cup packed brown sugar
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1⁄4 cup light corn syrup
1⁄2 tsp. instant espresso powder
2⁄3 cup heavy cream
3 egg yolks
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
For the chocolate topping:
1⁄2 cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp. shortening
8 oz. milk bar chocolate, finely chopped
1⁄2 cup chopped, dry-roasted peanuts
Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper.
For the shortbread, whisk together flour, ground peanuts, 2 Tbsp. cornstarch, and salt in a bowl; set aside.
Cream 1½ sticks butter and granulated sugar with a mixer on medium speed. Mix in flour mixture until combined but sandy.
Press shortbread into prepared pan; bake until golden and set, 30–35 minutes. Transfer pan to a rack to cool.
For the caramel layer, heat brown sugar, 4 Tbsp. butter, corn syrup, and espresso powder in a medium saucepan over medium until boiling, 3 minutes.
Whisk together 2/3 cup cream, egg yolks, and 3 Tbsp. cornstarch; stir into caramel. Cook, stirring, over medium heat until thickened, 5 minutes.
Pour caramel over cooled shortbread; chill or let stand until caramel is firm. Cut shortbread into 18 rectangles.
For the chocolate topping, heat ½ cup cream and shortening until boiling; pour over chocolate in a bowl and let stand 5 minutes. Stir chocolate until smooth.
Dip top of each cookie into chocolate, sprinkle on chopped peanuts, and let stand until chocolate is set.
Editor's Note
Pressed for time? Opt for a purchased caramel spread to make these bars a little quicker.
Makes: one 9-inch square pan (18 bars)
Millionaire's Shortbread
from http://www.bbc.co.uk/
The clue to the richness of this recipe is in the name. Millionaire's shortbread is devilishly easy to make and so popular.
For the shortbread
225g/8oz plain flour
175g/6oz unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes
75g/2¾oz caster sugar
For the topping
150g/5oz butter
1 x 379g can condensed milk
100g/3½oz golden syrup
350g/12oz dark chocolate, or a mixture of dark and milk, chopped into small pieces
Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas 2. Line a 23cm/9in square cake tin with baking parchment.
Combine the flour and butter cubes in a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. (Alternatively, you can rub the butter in by hand.)
Add in the caster sugar and pulse again until combined.
Tip the mixture into the lined cake tin and spread it out evenly with the back of a spoon. Then press the shortbread down firmly with your knuckles so that it is tightly packed in the tin.
Bake the shortbread for 30 minutes or until very light golden brown. Set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, for the topping [you could try Homemade Caramel Sauce from Sweetened Condensed Milk instead], heat the butter, condensed milk and golden syrup in a saucepan, stirring occasionally until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth.
Increase the heat and bring the mixture to the boil, stirring frequently. The caramel will thicken and turn golden-brown. Set aside to cool slightly, then pour over the cooled shortbread. Allow to cool completely.
Melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water (ensure that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water), stirring occasionally.
Pour the melted chocolate over the caramel and set aside until the chocolate has cooled completely.
Cut into squares and serve.
