Millionaire Shortbread

Millionaire Shortbread
Recipe adapted from Nigella Lawson
Three layers of different textures, crisp biscuit, soft caramel and smooth chocolate, this combination is just delicious, rich and rather moreish so I suggest cut small pieces, share with friends but sneak some for yourself to enjoy later. Great thing is this stores fairly well, either in an airtight container in a cool place, or frozen for a few months and this may look tricky to make but actually is quite easy and so worth the effort.

Biscuit Base
225g plain flour
75g caster sugar
175g butter

Caramel
395g tin of sweetened condensed milk
4 tablespoons golden syrup
200g unsalted butter

250g plain or milk chocolate broken into pieces

Grease and line base of a brownie tin (approximate size of tin - 22cm x 22cm OR 28cm x 18cm). Preheat oven to 170 deg C.
In a bowl place flour, sugar and chopped up butter and rub in the butter with your fingers. This dough will be rather sandy but will stick together. Press this in the lined tin and using the back of a spoon or your hands smooth it out. Prick this with a fork and bake for 5 minute, lower the oven to 150 deg C and bake for 30 -40 minutes, until it is a pale golden. Cool in the tin.

In a large microwavable bowl melt the butter, then add the condensed milk and the syrup, whisk well until the butter is completely incorporated. Heat in the microwave at 1 minute intervals for about 6 minutes, until it is boiling. Be sure to stir the mixture thoroughly every minute or even at 45 second intervals. This is ready when it has thickened and turned a light golden caramel colour. Pour this over the cooled biscuit base and leave to set.

Place the chocolate in a microwavable bowl and melt in the microwave. Melt at 30 second intervals stirring each time. Pour the melted chocolate over the caramel, spread it out evenly and leave to set.
Once set, cut the shortbread into squares and store in an airtight container, in the fridge (it you want to keep them firm).
NOTE -
A dry clean glass bowl is better than plastic for melting chocolate in the microwave as glass retains heat.
The less you touch the chocolate layer the shinier it will look.
Keep your eye on the caramel mixture when microwaving, it can burn.
If you use a larger tin you may need more chocolate for the top layer.