Millionaire's Shortbread


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Time: ~ 3 hour
Yield: ~ 32 bars
I think I first learned about millionaire's shortbread on GBBO. It's basically a fancy Twix bar...so what's not to like? This recipe takes inspiration from three different recipes that I liked. The base is inspired by Babish's Ted Lasso Browned Butter Shortbread. The vanilla caramel is from Claire Saffitz's Millionaire recipe. The chocolate is adapted from the America's Test Kitchen recipe and because it is a very easy way to temper chocolate.

This recipe looks like a lot and can be intimidating, but I promise it's much easier than it appears to be.


Ingredients (Browned Butter)

  • 2 sticks of unsalted butter

Ingredients (Shortbread)

  • 70 g browned butter
  • 150 g softened unsalted butter
  • 0.75 tsp salt
  • 120 g granulated sugar
  • 300 g ap flour
  • 55 g cornstarch

Ingredients (Caramel)

  • 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
  • 200 g turbinado or demerara or granulated sugar
  • 0.75 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup light corn syrup
  • 85 g softened unsalted butter
  • 1 vanilla bean (or 2 tsp vanilla extract)
  • 0.75 tsp salt

Ingredients (Chocolate)

  • 57 g grated bittersweet chocolate (70% cacao)
  • 170 g finely chopped bittersweet chocolate (70% cacao)
  • Maldon flaky salt

Equipment

  • 9x13 baking pan (squared edges are better)
  • large pan
  • stand mixer
  • large bowl
  • offset spatula
  • pot
  • candy thermometer or instant thermometer
  • grater
  • microwave safe medium bowl

Steps (Shortbread)

  1. Line your 9x13 with foil both ways so the foil sticks over the sides. This is for easy removal down the road. Brush the whole thing lightly with softened butter.
  2. Make the browned butter. Add 2 sticks of butter to a large pan on medium heat. Once butter is melted, let simmer for about 5 minutes, slowly stirring or swirling consistently until butter is a brown color and has a nutty aroma. Set aside in a small bowl and let cool completely before moving on.
  3. Preheat the oven to 300 F.
  4. Combine browned butter, softened butter, salt, and sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer. Mix well for 3 minutes.
  5. Combine flour and cornstarch in a large bowl. Whisk to combine.
  6. Add the dry ingredients to the stand mixer 1/3 at a time, mixing for 30 seconds each time. Mix until a crumbly dough forms.
  7. Sprinkle the dough around the prepared pan and gently press into the sides and corners to fill the entire tray.
  8. Using a fork, pierce the dough at 1 inch intervals. Optionally, use an offset spatula to flatten the top.
  9. Bake for 1 hour, then check every 5 minutes until the top is set and has become lightly golden.
  10. Transfer the while pan to a wire rack for cooling.
  11. Use an offset spatula to push down and compress the shortbread while it's still warm. Use a glove if the spatula gets too hot.
  12. Let cool for at least 20 minutes. Immediately start on the caramel. It will take longer than 20 minutes...

Steps (Caramel)

  1. Cut vanilla bean open length-wise and scrape out seeds.
  2. Add sugar, butter, corn syrup, heavy cream, salt, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla seeds, and vanilla pod to your pot.
  3. Warm over medium heat. Stir constantly and scraping to avoid any sticking! Wait to add candy thermometer until it comes to a boil.
  4. Heat to 236-240 F. Remove from heat immediately. It may stall at 210/220, but keep going and be patient!
  5. Remove the vanilla pod and discard.
  6. Immediately pour over your shortbread and spread out to a smooth layer with an offset spatula.
  7. Let cool completely at room temp for about 90 minutes.

Steps (Chocolate)

  1. Chop and grate your chocolate. Grating is probably the worst part of this recipe. It's difficult, time consuming, and makes a mess. Use a box grater's finest side and freeze both the chocolate and the grater beforehand to make this a little easier.
  2. Place the chopped chocolate in a bowl and microwave in 15 seconds interval, stirring between each interval, until melted. This should take around 2 minutes total.
  3. Add grated chocolate to melted chocolate and stir until smooth. If needed, return to microwave for 5 seconds at a time until all the chocolate is melted and smooth.
  4. Pour over the caramel and spread evenly with an offset spatula.
  5. Sprinkle flaky salt over the top of the chocolate.
  6. Refrigerate for at least 10 minutes.

Cutting

  1. Using the foil, lift the shortbread out of the pan and onto a cutting board.
  2. Carefully remove the foil and discard.
  3. Using a serrated knife (bread knife), cut the shortbread in fourths crosswise to create four 3.25x9 inch strips.
  4. When cutting, use a sawing motion until you get past the chocolate, then push straight down through the caramel and shortbread.
  5. Cut each strip crosswise into 8 equal pieces.
  6. Store at room temp for 1 week, or transfer to airtight container in the fridge or freezer for longer.

Optionals

  • Add fancy Turbinado sugar to base for or on top of the shortbread for a crunchy surprise.
  • Toast your granulated sugar for the shortbread to give it some extra flavor.
  • Add chopped nuts to your caramel if that's your thing.
  • Use a different chocolate if you don't like bittersweet.
  • Cut into smaller squares if you want.
Make something delicious.