Salted Caramel Millionaires Shortbread Food

SALTED CARAMEL MILLIONAIRE'S SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Grease and line a 20cm/8in square cake tin.
• Rub the butter, sugar, vanilla seeds and flour together in a bowl to make rough dough. Press the dough into the cake tin and prick all over with a fork.
• Bake the dough in the oven for five minutes, then reduce the oven to 150C/300F/Gas 2 and bake for a further 35 minutes. Once cooked, allow to cool in the tin.
• Meanwhile for the caramel, place all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to the boil for 10 minutes
• Pour the caramel mixture over the shortbread. Chill in the fridge until the caramel has cooled and hardened slightly.
• For the topping, melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Once melted, pour the chocolate over the caramel. Chill in the fridge again until the chocolate has set, then cut into 9 squares.

MILLIONAIRE SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Rub the butter and flour together in a bowl until you have a mix which is similar to breadcrumbs or use food processor. Stir in the sugar. Spread the mixture evenly into a 9" (23cm) square tin which has been greased. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 170C/340F (160C/320F if fan assisted) for approximately 35 minutes until it is golden brown. Allow the base to cool.
• Heat the filling ingredients together in a pot with lid on, making sure that you check and stir it VERY regularly (otherwise it will stick!) as it simmers making sure it doesn't simmer over. Continue stirring and checking until it thickens. Spread the filling evenly over the base and again allow to cool.
• Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a simmering pan of water so that you can spread it over the filling.
• When it has cooled, cut up into small squares with a sharp knife. Allow chocolate to soften slightly (maybe at room temperature for 15/20 mins) before or it will crack as you are cutting it, then you can put back in fridge!

SALTED CARAMEL & PEANUT BUTTER BILLIONAIRE'S SLICE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease and line a 20 x 30cm rectangular cake tin with baking parchment - the best way to do this is with 2 long strips of parchment. Put the ingredients for the base in a food processor and blitz until it starts to clump together - don't worry if the peanuts are still a little chunky, they will add a lovely texture. Tip onto your work surface and knead briefly to bring together as a dough. Press the dough into the base of your tin in an even layer. Bake for 25 mins until golden, then set aside to cool.
• To make the peanut butter layer, melt the butter and peanut butter in a small pan and mix until smooth. Sieve the icing sugar into a bowl, then pour in the hot butter mixture and stir to combine. While the mixture is still warm, pour over the base and smooth out with a spatula. Chill for 2 hrs until set.
• To make the caramel layer, put the caramel and salt in a pan, bring up to the boil and simmer vigorously for 2-3 mins, whisking continuously, until the colour darkens a shade or two and the caramel thickens slightly. Leave the caramel to cool for 20 mins (see tips, below). Once cooled, pour it over the peanut butter layer and return to the fridge for a further 2 hrs.
• Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Meanwhile, put the toffees and the milk in a small saucepan and gently heat. They will clump together and struggle to melt at first, but keep heating and eventually they will turn into a runny toffee sauce.
• Remove the tin from the fridge and pour the chocolate over the salted caramel layer, tipping the tin to spread the chocolate over the surface. Use a spoon to quickly drizzle the caramel over the chocolate in a thin loopy pattern (or see tip, below). If the toffee starts to get too thick, add a splash more milk or cream and pop it back on the heat until runny. Sprinkle over the sea salt flakes and put the tin back in the fridge to chill for 2 hrs before slicing.

GLUTEN-FREE SALTED CARAMEL MILLIONAIRE'S SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line the base of a 20cm square cake tin and lightly butter the sides. Blitz the flour, butter and sugar with a pinch of salt and 2 tbsp ice cold water in a food processor until you have a clumpy mixture. Press this into the prepared tin and bake for 25 mins until light golden. Set aside to cool completely.
• For the caramel, place all of the ingredients in a saucepan. Melt everything together over a low-medium heat until the sugar has dissolved, then turn up the heat and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir continuously for 8-10 mins until the mixture has thickened and darkened a little. Pour the mixture over the biscuit base and chill for 2 hrs.
• Once the caramel is set, melt the two chocolates in separate bowls, either in short bursts in the microwave or or set over a pan of gently simmering water. Spoon both chocolates over the caramel, then gently swirl it using a cocktail stick to create a marbled effect. Chill for a further 40 mins. Bring to room temperature before slicing into 12 squares.

CARAMEL SHORTCAKE OR MILLIONAIRE'S SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• BASE (first 3 ingredients):.
• Cream butter and sugar.
• Add the flour and stir to make a mixture that is soft and will go together when squashed.
• Lightly knead and then roll out or place into a deep Swiss roll tin.
• Press into place with the palm of your hand until even.
• Prick all over with a fork.
• Bake in the oven for 25 minutes gas 4.
• Cool in the tin.
• FILLING (middle four ingredients):.
• Place the butter, sugar, syrup, and condensed milk into a pan and bring slowly to a boil.
• Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
• Once boiling keep on a slow boil stirring all the time for about 5 to 7 minutes.
• Caramel should be thick and golden.
• Allow to cool.
• When cool pour over the biscuit mixture and leave to set.
• TOPPING (last 2 ingredients):.
• Melt the chocolate and butter over a pan of simmering water.
• Spread over top of the caramel layer.
• Cut into squares or fingers once set.
• Do not be put off by the stages; very easy and worth the wait. It looks like you have been in the kitchen and slaving over the cooker for hours. You will get compliments with this one.