The Science Behind Millionaire’s Shortbread
Adding cornstarch to the mix helps soften the flour proteins, resulting in a shortbread that boasts a delightful crumbly texture. By cooking butter, sugar, and heavy cream to 235ºF (113ºC), you achieve a butterscotch filling that is perfectly chewy—not too hard or runny. A layer of dark chocolate on top balances out the sweetness of the butterscotch, creating an indulgent treat.
As someone with an insatiable sweet tooth—whether it’s savoring rich chocolate mousse or crafting a delicious icebox cake—I have an undeniable craving for sweets. My colleagues might not realize that if I don’t get my sugar fix by mid-afternoon, I can become quite irritable! During my time in Scotland, I often indulged in millionaire’s shortbread—a beloved British dessert featuring layers of shortbread topped with caramel and chocolate.
Though I’m no longer living in Britain, my desire for millionaire’s shortbread remains strong. Unfortunately, finding this treat in the U.S. has proven challenging; many versions I’ve tried are overly sweet and lackluster—often featuring stale biscuits and syrupy caramel laden with corn syrup. Determined to create the ultimate version myself, I’ve crafted a recipe that features a tender crumbly base paired with richly flavored butterscotch filling and topped off with dark chocolate to keep things from becoming overwhelmingly sweet.
In essence, true millionaire’s shortbread should be luxurious yet refined—not ostentatious or excessive—because it’s not just about wanting wealth; it’s about embodying sophistication as well.
A Brief History of Millionaire’s Shortbread
The origins of millionaire’s shortbread are somewhat debated; food writer Felicity Cloake attributes its first appearance to Australian Women’s Weekly in the 1970s under another name. However, historical cookbooks suggest this dessert may date back even further. For instance, a recipe titled “shortbread caramel fingers” appeared as early as 1965 in The Surrey Mirror and County Post.
Today this delectable treat goes by various names such as caramel slice or caramel square; however, it is most commonly known as millionaire’s shortbread in Scotland—a name whose origins remain unclear. Fortunately for all dessert lovers out there: you don’t need to be wealthy to enjoy this delightful confection!
Top Tips for Crafting Perfect Millionaire’s Shortbread
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Choose Quality Ingredients: While combining buttery shortbread with rich caramel and smooth chocolate seems foolproof enough on its own—the quality of each component matters significantly! The base recipe here is inspired by Gaga (my husband’s grandmother) but tweaked slightly for optimal flavor using all-purpose flour instead of whole wheat flour.
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Cook Butterscotch Precisely: Achieving just-right consistency requires careful temperature control when making your butterscotch filling—too long results in hard candy while too little yields runny sauce! Aim for 235ºF (113ºC) which falls within what pastry chefs call “soft-ball stage.” This ensures your filling will have ideal chewiness without being overly firm.
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Skip Condensed Milk: Many recipes rely on condensed milk mixed into their fillings—but through testing I found homemade versions yield better flavor without sacrificing ease! Using unsalted butter along with dark brown sugar creates deeper notes than store-bought alternatives ever could.
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Chill Methodically: After pouring warm butterscotch over cooled crusts allow them time at room temperature before refrigerating until set properly—it makes cutting easier later!
5 . Opt For Dark Chocolate Topping : To prevent cloyingly sweet results opt instead towards bittersweet chocolates around 64-72% cacao content which balances flavors beautifully while still providing richness!
6 . Don’t Forget Salt: Adding salt throughout each layer enhances overall taste experience by counteracting sweetness effectively!
Millionaire’s Shortbread Recipe
Ingredients:
For the Shortcake:
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 170g all-purpose flour (6 ounces; approximately 1⅓ cups)
- 75g rice flour or cornstarch (2¾ ounces; approximately two-thirds cup)
- 56g golden caster sugar (2 ounces; roughly one-fourth cup plus two teaspoons)
- ¼ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 150g unsalted butter (5¼ ounces; about eleven tablespoons), melted
For Butterscotch:
-170g unsalted butter(6 ounces ;12 tablespoons ) -450 g dark brown sugar(15¾ounces ;about two cups plus two tablespoons ) -355ml heavy cream -2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
Topping:
-198 g dark chocolate(7ounces ;about one-and-a-quarter cups )between64and70%cacao ,coarsely chopped -1 tablespoon unsalted butter -Flaky sea salt ,for garnish
Instructions:
1 . Preheat oven at350°F(175°C). Line9-by13-inchrimmedbaking sheetwith parchment paper ensuring overhangbyatleasttwo inches .
2 . In alarge bowl whisk togetherflour,riceflourorcornstarch,sugarandsalt.Pour meltedbutterintodryingredientsandmixuntildoughforms .
3 . Pressdoughintoevenlayerinpreparedbaking sheet.Bakefor30minutesuntilgolden.Removefromovenandcoolonwirerack .
4 . Meltbutterinapotovermediumheat.Addbrown sugarandsalt,cookuntilmelted.Addheavycreambringtoaboil,cookuntilitreaches235°F(113°C).
5 Pourwarmbutterscotovercooledshortcake.Allowto coolbeforerefrigeratinguntillset .
6 Preparetoppingby meltingdarkchocolatewithbutterover simmeringwater.Pouroversetfilling,refrigerateagainuntildesiredfirmnessisachieved .
7 Liftparchemntto remove frompan.Cutinto squaresorrectanglesasdesired.Serve chilledorroomtemperatureenjoyment !
Storage Tips
Millionaire’sShortbreads canbe madeaheadandrefrigeratedupthree days wrappedinplasticwrap.Portionedbarscanbestoredinairtightcontainersforfive daysorrefrigeratedone monthfrozen !