Millionaires’ shortbread – a very rich treat

1. Preheat oven to 170°C fan and grease and line a rectangular baking tray (approx 30cm x 20cm) with parchment paper.

2. For the shortbread, using a food processor or electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together. Add in the flour and continue processing for 10 seconds or until it comes together (or bring it together with your hands, adding a dash of milk if necessary to bind the dough).

3. Press the shortbread to ½cm thickness into the baking tray.

4. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until firm to the touch and light golden (without it browning around the edges). When the shortbread is cooked, allow it to cool in the tin for 15 minutes before covering with caramel.

5. For the caramel, gently melt the sugar, butter, condensed milk and golden syrup in a medium saucepan.  Using a whisk to stir vigorously, increase the heat to just below a boil, then fast simmer stirring for about 15 minutes while the sauce changes colour and starts to thicken (use a wooden spoon to scrape around the inside edges of the pan where the mixture might catch, removing it regularly from the heat source as you do so). Stand over the pan and keep stirring until it reaches a “soft ball stage” or a caramel colour (what I call teddy bear brown). Test this by dropping a bead of the caramel into a cup of cold water, it should form a “soft ball” that does not harden fully in the cold water.

6.  Spread the caramel evenly over the shortbread and set aside to cool fully.

7.  Melt the chocolate in a bain marie (a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water). Pour the chocolate over the cold caramel. Chill until the chocolate hardens. Use a large sharp knife to cut neatly into even fingers.