#shortbread recipe

A sheer indulgence -and sometimes it is very good to succumb to a decadent pleasure- Millionaire’s Shortbread is the perfect treat to enjoy with a cup of coffe! Happy Saturday!

Ingredients (makes 16 squares):

250 grams/8.8 ounces plain flour

75 grams/2.65 ounces caster sugar

175 grams/6.20 ounces cold unsalted butter, cut into small chunks

100 grams/3.5 ounces unsalted butter

100 grams/3.5 ounces light muscavado sugar

1 (397-gram/14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

200 grams/7 ounces good quality dark chocolate (at least 65% cocoa)

Lightly butter and line a 23cmx21cm/9″x8.30” rectangular tin with at least a 3cm/1.20′ lip.

Preheat oven to 180°C/355°F.

In a medium bowl, combine flour and sugar; give a good stir. Add chunks of butter, and rub butter into the flour mixture between your fingers, until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Knead quickly until a short dough forms, and press evenly at the bottom of prepared tin. Prick all over with a fork. 

Place in the middle of the hot oven, and bake shortbread, at 180°C/355°F, 20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Remove from the oven, and let cool in the tin. 

In a medium saucepan, combine butter, light muscavado sugar and sweetened condensed milk. Heat over a low flame, stirring constantly until butter and sugar are melted. Increase heat to medium-high, and bring to the boil, always stirring. Then, reduce heat back to low, and cook, without stopping stirring, until mixture slightly thickens, like a custard. 

Remove from the heat, and pour caramel evenly over cooled shortbread. Place in the refrigerator and allow to set, and cool, one hour.

In a medium bowl fitted over a small saucepan of simmering water, melt dark chocolate until smooth, silky and shiny. Remove from the heat, and stir energetically with a spatula for a few minutes, to cool slightly. Then, pour melted chocolate evenly over set caramel. Tilt the tin so it reaches the edges. Return to the refrigerator and chill, at least one hour more.

Finally, lift out of the tin, and cut into 16 squares.

I’m currently reading Dorothy L. Sayers’ Five Red Herrings, which is set in Galloway, and since it’s too early for whisky, for now I’ll settle for Scottish Shrotbread and tea!

Ingredients (makes 8):

125 grams/4.5 ounces unsalted butter, softened

4 1/2 heaped tablespoons caster sugar

125 grams/4.5 ounces plain flour

6 level tablespoons cornflour (cornstarch)

Preheat oven to 165°C/°F. Butter a 20-cm/7.85-inch round cake pan, and line with baking paper. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine softened butter and caster sugar, and cream energetically with a wooden spoon until pale yellow and fluffy. Sift in flour and cornflour, and quickly stir into butter mixture until biscuit dough just comes together. Spoon into prepared cake pan, gently pressing with your finger to have an even, rather smooth layer. Chill in the refrigerator, 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 185°C/355°F.

Remove shortbread dough from the refrigerator, and with a sharp knife, divide (without cutting all the way through), into eight triangles. Prick each triangle with a fork, forming a pattern.

Place cake pan in the middle of the warm oven, and bake shortbread at 180°C/355°F, 35 minutes.

Remove from the oven, and let cool slightly before cutting the triangles. Then, let cool completely.

My take on last week’s Great British Bake Off signature challenge, the very indulgent millionaire’s shortbread, are these even more indulgent Cognac and Pecan Millionaire Shortbreads. The biscuit is short and crumbly, the Cognac caramel is luscious, and the thin layer of dark chocolate compliments the flavours beautifully, giving the treat indeed, an air of luxury. I’ll definitely have to try Liam’s recipe with homemade peanut butter, but I’m sure these too, are worth a Hollywood Handshake Happy baking to you all!

Ingredients (makes 4 large):

1/3 cup pecan halves

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 ounces unsalted butter

4 ounces granulated sugar

2.5 ounces Lyle’s Golden Syrup

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

1 ounce unsalted butter

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 tablespoon Hennesy (or good quality) Cognac

4 ounces dark chocolate

1 heaped teaspoon pure cocoa butter

In a small nonstick skillet over high heat, toast pecans, 2 to 3 minutes, shaking the pan often to prevent from burning. Once fragrant, remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Preheat oven to 340°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place toasted pecans in a food processor, and pulse until chopped (finely enough, but with still enough bite). Add flour, brown sugar and salt, and process until just combined. Add butter, and process until mixture resembles coarse meal and just comes together. 

Butter 4 pastry rings, two 3.5″ round pastry rings and two 3″ square ones, or all of the same shape, and place onto prepared baking sheet. Divide shortbread mixture between the pastry rings, level, and press firmly so that the top is even. Bake at 340°, 25 minutes until just golden. Remove from heat and let cool completely.

Meanwhile, make caramel filling. In a large saucepan, combine sugar and Golden Syrup and heat over medium heat, swirling the saucepan occasionally -but not stirring!- until sugar is completely dissolved. 

Scrape the seeds off the vanilla bean. Once the caramel takes a nice amber color, quickly stir in butter and vanilla seeds and bean, and once combined, immediately stir in whipping cream. Boil rapidly over medium heat, stirring often until caramel thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Stir in Cognac, and boil, still stirring, about 3 minutes more. Pour Cognac caramel in a jug or bowl, a,d let cool, 20 minutes.

Once Cognac caramel is cooled but not yet set, discard vanilla bean, and divide evenly between pastry rings, and pour on top of the shortbread base. Place baking sheet in the refrigerator to set, hours.

In a small bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, melt chocolate with cocoa butter until shiny and silky. Remove from heat and let cool slightly, before pouring evenly on top of set caramel filling and levelling with the back of a spoon. Return baking sheet to the refrigerator, minutes.

Carefully remove pastry rings, running a sharp knife on the edges. 

Serve Cognac and Pecan Millionaire Shortbreads with tea, or after dinner, cut into smaller pieces, with coffee.

I made chai flavoured shortbread with chocolate chip chunks!

My husband says I should keep it as a secret recipe and also insisted I bring some to the neighbours. Think he likes it! 😅

Anyway, I used a basic shortbread recipe and tweaked it by adding chai mix and also chocolate. Basic recipe below the cut!