Millionaire’s Shortbread

Prep time: 35 mins | Bake time: 20 mins | Set time: 4 hours

Are you looking for something luxurious? I couldn't recommend this Millionaire's Shortbread recipe more... as my husband says, "it's the holy trinity of food". You've got three layers of deliciousness: buttery shortbread, velvety salted caramel, and smooth milk chocolate. 

In my opinion, baking counts as self-care so I'm totally vouching for you to take on this technical challenge because once you're done, you'll get a moment of pure satisfaction and indulgence. The perfect mix.

Why are Millionaire's Shortbread so popular?

There are so many reasons to count as to why Millionaire's Shortbread have become so popular. But here are just a few:

1. The layers are pure luxury. I've said it before, but each of the layers work so well together. A layer of crumbly, buttery shortbread, a layer of sweet and salted caramel, topped off with a deliciously smooth layer of milk chocolate.

2. It's a versatile sweet treat. What's amazing about Millionaire's Shortbread is that you can make them in so many different ways. You can experiment with different variations, from types of chocolate topping to different flavours in the shortbread base. Truly, it's a sweet snack that everyone can enjoy.

3. You get to challenge your baking skills. Baking Millionaire's Shortbread can feel quite daunting because you have to get the caramel exactly right. BUT it's a lot easier to prepare than most luxury desserts. And if you follow my Millionaire's Shortbread recipe, I'll share tips and tricks to help you master this treat.

Proof that you can turn a classic Millionaire's Shortbread into a cute, bite-sized showstopper.

Millionaire shortbread variations

There are so many opportunities for experimenting with millionaire shortbread. Many baking bloggers have done this, such as Jane's Patisserie making the Biscoff millionaire's shortbread a creative craze - and let me tell you, it doesn't disappoint.

Check out the delicious shortbread variations I have indulged in below.

• Hazelnut chocolate millionaire's shortbread.

• Cadbury Mini Eggs millionaire's shortbread.

• Easy Twix biscuits.

• Biscoff millionaire's shortbread.

​Tips for making delicious millionaire's shortbread

1. Don't skip the salt. Millionaire's shortbread is such a sweet bake, but what put it on a whole other level is the addition of salt. I use a generous pinch of flaky sea salt because it brings out each of the ingredients' flavours, and gives this treat a salted caramel finish.

2. Pay attention to caramel consistency. The texture of your caramel makes a massive difference to the end result of your bake.

   • If the caramel is not cooked long enough, it will be a liquid mess. The caramel will spill out the sides when you get it out of the tin, and you'll struggle to cut the pieces without breaking the chocolate topping.

   • If the caramel is cooked for too long, it can become ridiculously hard and chewy - definitely not how you want your millionaire shortbread.

How to store millionaire's shortbread

​Storing your millionaire's shortbread correctly is vital to maintaining the freshness and quality of millionaire's shortbread for as long as possible.

Here are some tips on storage options for this sweet treat:

1. Storing at room temperature: If you're planning to eat your millionaire's shortbread within a few days, you can store them at room temperature. Make sure you have put them in an airtight container out of direct sunlight.

2. Refrigerating your millionaire's shortbread: Want to savour your millionaire's shortbread batch? You can keep them in an airtight container in the fridge so they last for a longer period. And if you're experiencing warm weather, you should consider refrigerating Millionaire's shortbread.

3. Can I freeze millionaire's shortbread? Yes, you definitely can. Once the pieces are cut, you should wrap each piece individually before putting them in a freezer bag or airtight container. When you're ready to eat them, unwrap the pieces you want and let them come to room temperature.

Millionaire Shortbread!

Type: Caramel

Author: Thea Bakes

Prep Time: 35 minutes

Bake Time: 20 minutes

Set Time: 4 hours

Servings: 16

Ingredients

For the shortbread

• 120g unsalted butter
• 50g caster sugar
• 150g plain flour

For the caramel

• 397g condensed milk (one tin Carnation caramel)
• 50g unsalted butter
• 50g light brown sugar
• Pinch of salt

For the chocolate top

• 200g milk chocolate

How to make millionaire shortbread

Method: Shortbread base

Preheat your oven to 180C and line an 8" square tin with greaseproof paper to cover the bottom and the sides.

In a mixing bowl, use your fingers to rub in the butter (120g), sugar (50g), flour (165g) until it starts forming a ball. (If you have a food processor, you can pulse the mixture to make a dough, though you may need to use your hands for a final combine).

Place the shortbread dough in your greased tin and use your hands to press down the mixture and spread as evenly and flat as you can.

Poke a good amount of holes with a fork, sprinkle some caster sugar on top, and bake in the centre of the oven for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Leave to start cooling while you make the caramel layer.

Method: Cooking the caramel layer

In a small saucepan, decant the condensed milk and measure out the butter (50g), light brown sugar (50g), and pinch of salt.

Start heating the caramel mixture on a hob at medium temperature. You need to continuously stir the caramel with a spatula while the sugar dissolves to avoid getting burnt clumps.

Once the sugar and butter has melted, turn the heat up and let the caramel start to bubble. Make sure you're still constantly stirring but as the mixture bubbles, protect yourself from getting burnt by the mixture spitting back.

You'll know the mixture is ready when it is a much darker colour and has become a thicker consistency. I like to test if the caramel's cooked by dragging my spatula through the hot mixture and seeing if it slowly recedes.

Pour the caramel on top of your baked shortbread base, smoothing out your caramel layer, and then leave to set.

Method: Adding the milk chocolate layer

Once the caramel has set, melt your milk chocolate in the microwave at 30 second intervals.

Allow the millionaire's shortbread to cool and set in the fridge for 2-3 hours, or until the chocolate has hardened.

Method: How to cut millionaire shortbread into pieces

To cut your millionaire's shortbread into 2" squares, you'll need to score three lines horizontally and vertically using a sharp knife. This will act as guidance for your cut as well as making a weak spot in the chocolate to prevent cracks.

Wipe down the sharp knife so that it's clean, and then gently slice from the side furthest away, to the side closest.

Repeat this until you have 16 square millionaire's shortbread pieces.

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