Millionaire's Shortbread

Can you think of anything more boring than having to go to a philosophy seminar on a Friday afternoon, after a long week of classes and assignments and trying to make sense of the dry, dry texts you were supposed to read? Then, even worse, having to discuss those dry texts, trying desperately to sound like you have a clue about what's going on. That's how I felt before I had my first Friday seminar when I was going to school in London a few years ago - total dread.

... But then I actually went, and it wasn't that bad. We were just a small group of girls having a conversation for a couple hours before the weekend. Our instructor was awesome and made us feel like there were no stupid questions, and gently led us in meaningful, interesting conversations. I started to really look forward to Friday afternoons. It didn't hurt, of course, that we all started bringing wine and chocolate and cookies to these little seminars of ours.

 

One recurring treat (besides ridiculously cheap bottles of Merlot) was Millionaires' Shortbread from the Sainsbury's around the corner from us. The concept is simple: shortbread, caramel, chocolate. That's it. But man... those little things are magic. Crunchy, chewy, sweet = holy trinity of deliciousness. 

So I set out to recreate them, and after a few little tweaks, I think this is a pretty good recipe. The layers take a little bit of time, but you can slice them up and store them in the fridge or freezer and have a stockpile of perfect little sweets that should last you quite a while. 

The caramel is thick and the chocolate is dark, and suddenly I have the urge for a glass of cheap red and a good book. Magic.

Millionaires' Shortbread
Recipe adapted from Mary Berry's Baking Bible
Makes a 9x13 inch pan, 32-64 squares

Shortbread
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened

Caramel
2 x 300 mL cans sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

Chocolate
1 package (about 2 cups) dark chocolate chips, 50% cocoa

1. Preheat the oven to 350F/180C and grease a 9x13 inch pan.

2. To make the shortbread, combine the flour and sugar in a medium bowl. Add the butter and rub it into the flour mixture with your fingers until a very, very crumbly dough forms. The crumbs should be about the size of peas. Tip the dough into the prepared pan and press it down evenly to form a base. Prick the dough a few times with a fork, then bake for about 15 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden and the centre no longer appears wet. Allow to cool on a rack while you make the caramel.

3. Combine all the caramel ingredients into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly the whole time. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer gently for 20 minutes, still stirring constantly to keep it from burning (I know, it sounds like a long time - call your mom or watch some YouTube videos or something). The caramel will thicken and get slightly darker. After 20 minutes of stirring, take the caramel off the heat and pour over the shortbread, spreading out an even layer. Allow to cool.

4. Once the caramel has cooled, place the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and melt them in 30 second bursts until smooth and pourable. Pour it over the caramel and smooth out with the back of a spoon or a palette knife. Cover and place in the the fridge or freezer to set the chocolate.

5. Once the whole thing has cooled, slice it up and enjoy! If you've chilled your squares, the whole thing should pop out of the pan in one piece, allowing for easier cutting.

The shortbreads are best served at room temperature - the caramel will be deliciously soft and chewy.