Kate Lyon's Star Baker Millionaires Shortbread

1. Preheat the oven to 180C and line a square baking tin with greaseproof paper
2. Dice the butter and then put all of the ingredients for the shortbread in a food processor. Blitz for a short while until combined and it looks crumbly, a bit like wet sand.
3. Press into the lined tin and chill in the fridge (or freezer) until cool whilst you prepare your caramel layer
4. Whilst the biscuit layer is chilling, make the caramel by firstly heating the sugar in a pan on a low heat
5. Turn up heat as the sugar dissolves and turns golden brown.
6. Remove pan from heat and add a little of the double cream. Stir then add the rest of the cream and the rest of the butter (this makes the caramel nice and smooth and glossy). Put the caramel back on the stove over a gentle low heat until it reaches 116C (or until it thickens)
7. Take off heat and add in the salt. Transfer to bowl and leave to cool in fridge to start the setting process.
8. Prick the biscuit base with a fork and bake in oven for 30 mins at 180C or until lightly golden. Remove from oven and cool.
9. Over a bain marie (or very slowly in the microwave), melt the chocolate.
10. Pour the caramel over the biscuit base and wiggle around to ensure an even covering. Then pour over the caramel. Leave this to set.
11. Once the whole thing is set and cool, carefully cut into squares (however big you like!) and serve.

Ideas:

I find making your own caramel well worth it, rather than the condensed milk version you can buy in the shops.

You can vary this recipe by mixing up the chocolate topping; swirling some white chocolate into the dark choc, or using chocolate flavoured with orange (or even a bit of chilli for something different!) Another great variation, perfect for autumn would be to use a little ground ginger (1tsp) in the biscuit base and adding some crystalised ginger (very finely chopped) scattered over the chocolate before it sets. The possibilities are endless - tag us in your favourite alternative @homeprideflour!