Millionaire's Shortbread

Don't Make These Mistakes

A thermometer for the caramel. Every soft, oozing millionaire's shortbread was pulled off the heat too early.

Stir the caramel constantly. Condensed milk scorches on the base within seconds and the burnt flavour goes right through it.

Score the chocolate before it sets hard. Cutting set chocolate cracks the whole top.

Cooking Millionaire's Shortbread

Tap a step to highlight it, or turn on Cook Mode for large type and step-by-step focus.

1. Heat the oven to 175°C / 350°F and line a 23 x 23 cm tin with baking paper, leaving an overhang.

   Mark done

2. Blitz the flour, sugar and salt, add the cold butter and pulse to fine crumbs that clump when squeezed.

   Mark done

3. Tip into the tin and press down very firmly and evenly. Prick all over with a fork.

   Mark done

4. Bake 28 to 32 minutes, until evenly sandy-gold all the way to the centre — not pale. Leave to cool while you make the caramel.

   Mark done Start 28 min timer

5. Melt the butter, brown sugar and golden syrup in a heavy pan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.

   Mark done

6. Add the condensed milk and salt and bring to a gentle boil, stirring constantly and scraping the base so it cannot catch.

   Mark done

7. Boil, still stirring, for 8 to 12 minutes until it darkens to a deep amber and reaches 108°C / 226°F on a thermometer. It should thickly coat the spoon and hold a channel when you drag it across the pan base.

   Mark done Start 8 min timer

8. Pour over the shortbread, level it, and leave to set at room temperature for 1 hour.

   Mark done Start 1 hr timer

9. Melt both chocolates together over barely simmering water, stirring until smooth, then take off the heat and stir for 2 minutes as it cools slightly.

   Mark done Start 2 min timer

10. Pour over the caramel, tilt to level, scatter with flaky salt, and leave 20 minutes until almost set. Score into 16 squares with a hot knife, then leave 1 hour more to set fully before cutting through.

    Mark done

Related guides: Prep, cook and total time · Pan and tin size.

Something wrong or unclear in this recipe? Report a problem with this recipe.

What's Going On Here

The caramel is where this goes wrong, and it is a temperature problem: condensed milk caramel needs to reach about 108°C / 226°F for enough water to leave that it sets firm at room temperature. Below that it stays a sauce and oozes out of the cut edge. The shortbread underneath is baked until fully sandy rather than pale, because it will not crisp any further under the caramel. And scoring the chocolate before it fully hardens is what lets you cut clean squares instead of shattering the top.

Leftovers, Reheating and Keeping

Airtight at cool room temperature for a week. Do not refrigerate — the chocolate blooms and the caramel goes hard.

Good With

• Strong tea
• Black coffee
• A glass of milk

Common Questions About Millionaire's Shortbread

Millionaire's Shortbread Nutrition Facts

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central figures (SR Legacy). A calculation, not a laboratory analysis: brands, cuts and how you measure change the real numbers. Garnishes, greasing and other items with no amount are not counted. How the figures are worked out.

Your notes on this recipe

Cooked this? Keep a note for next time

Your own rating out of 5

5 stars★ 4 stars★ 3 stars★ 2 stars★ 1 star★

Your note

Save note

Private to you: notes and ratings are saved in this browser only, are never sent anywhere, and other readers cannot see them.