Millionaire’s shortbread is always a crowd pleaser. This grown-up version tops a buttery ginger shortbread with rich golden caramel and dark chocolate. Tailor the salt levels in the caramel to your taste for the ideal afternoon treat.
Paul Hollywood
Series 17
Makes:
10
Difficulty:
Easy
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- Ingredients
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Method
Step 1
Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/350°F/Gas 4, then grease a 20cm square tin with butter and line with non-stick baking paper.
Step 2
For the shortbread base, cream the butter and sugar together in the bowl of stand mixer until soft and creamy, but not aerated, scraping down the sides of the bowl from time to time.
Step 3
Add the flour, cornflour, ginger and salt and mix on low speed for 1 minute until the dough comes together.
Step 4
Tip into the prepared baking tin and press level using your hands and then firmly using the back of a spoon. Prick with a fork and bake for about 20–25 minutes until pale golden brown. Remove from the oven and leave to cool, the shortbread will firm as it cools.
Step 5
For the caramel, heat the caster sugar in a deep-sided pan over a medium heat, swirling the pan from time to time, until the sugar dissolves and turns an amber colour.
Step 6
While the caramel is cooking, bring the cream to a simmer in a separate pan over a medium heat, then immediately remove it from the heat and set aside.
Step 7
Once the caramel is amber-coloured, carefully pour in the warm cream (be careful as it will splutter) and stir to combine. Add the butter, stirring continuously, until it forms a smooth caramel. Increase the heat to high and boil until the mixture reaches 112°C/234°F on a sugar thermometer.
Step 8
Immediately remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the vanilla and salt, then pour the caramel into a heatproof jug (to halt the cooking process) and leave to cool until just warm.
Step 9
Pour the caramel over the baked shortbread and place in the fridge, until set.
Step 10
For the topping, melt the dark chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Step 11
Melt the white, milk and caramel chocolate one at a time in separate bowls set over the pan of simmering water.
Step 12
Place the bowl of dark chocolate back over the pan if it has started to set, then once melted, pour over the cooled caramel layer and bang the tin on the surface to level out the chocolate.
Step 13
Working quickly, spoon small random blobs of the milk, white and caramel chocolate over the dark chocolate.
Step 14
Using the tip of a wooden skewer, drag it through the blobs of milk, white and caramel chocolate to marble together. Leave to set firm before cutting into 10 bars to serve. On a hot day, or if you’re in a hurry, you can use the fridge to set before slicing.
