Millionaires Shortbread...

Millionaires Shortbread is definitely one of my favourite deserts-you get chocolate, toffee/fudge and shortbread all together! What could possibly be better?! I made this for my family the other day, and needless to say...it's all gone already!

Ingredients:

For the shortbread base:

-225g plain flour

-100g caster sugar

-225g butter

-100g cornflower

For the topping

-175g butter

-175g caster sugar

-4 tbsp golden syrup

-1 x 397g can of condensed milk

-200g dark chocolate, broken into pieces (this can easily be substituted for milk chocolate should this be what you desire. You can also use melted white chocolate to drizzle on top of the dark chocolate after it has set.)

Method:

1. Set the oven to 160 degrees, or Gas Mark 2. Lightly grease a 20cm x 33cm oblong/swiss roll tin, or use a small cake tin should you prefer. (Try to make sure that the tin is quite deep-remember there are three layers to your millionaires shortbread and you don't want to run out of room for the chocolate!)

2. Place all the base ingredients into a food processor and mix together until they form a smooth dough. This can also be done by hand in a bowl if you prefer, and small amounts of milk can be added if the dough refuses to stick together.

3.Press the mixture into the base of the swiss roll tin and prick slightly with a fork. Bake for about 30-40 miunutes until golden and firm, and then set aside to cool.

4. To make the toffee/fudge, place the butter and sugar into a saucepan. Heat gently for about 2 minutes until the butter has melted and the sugar has begun to dissolve. Then add the syrup and condensed milk and stir over a low heat. (Ensure that the heat is not too high-as it may burn the sugar and you will end up with burnt sugar within your toffee layer.)

5. Begin to bubble the mixture gently for five to eight minutes, stirring all the time until it becomes thick and fudge like. (The colour will darken to become more golden, and the mixture becomes quite a lot thicker.) Then pour immediately over the cold shortbread to form an even layer. Leave to cool.

6. Melt the pieces of chocolate in a bowl placed within a pan of simmering water. Wait until it is fully melted to form a smooth mixture, and then pour this over the toffee/fudge layer and leave to set. (Should you wish you can then melt a small amount of white chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water, and then drizzle this over the darker chocolate using a small teaspoon, for decoration. You may also wish to place chocolate chips around the edge of the shortbread for decoration as I have done, or a similar decoration such as sugar coated silver balls. Be creative-you want the shortbread to look as good as it's going to taste!)

7. When the chocolate is set cut the finished shortbread into small squares and store in an airtight container. It's advisable to eat within 3 days so that the ingredients taste at their freshest...luckily this part shouldn't be too much of a problem!

Preparation time: 30 minutes + cooking time

Serves 8-10 (or more if you cut into smaller squares)

Enjoy :)

I got a cupcake recipe book from "Primrose Bakery" in London for my birthday last week, and am keen to try out the chocolate orange, caramel and chocolate and banana cupcakes in particular, so hopefully that'll make my next post! I have also been given some silicone cupcake cases and am learning how to make sugar flowers and decorations to put on top, so I'll keep you all updated.