Shortbread

For chocolate-dipped, or millionaire's etc.

(Adapted from http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/millionaires_shortbread_76712)

Ingredients

Notes on the caramel:

Sweetened condensed milk - boil for 2.5 hours in water-filled saucepan.

Unsweetened evaporated milk - was not caramelised after 2.5 hours.  Adding a generous squirt of golden syrup and using the small pan on the small ring on 7 thickens it ok.

For the shortbread (enough for the baking tray)

675g plain flour

525g unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes

225g caster sugar

For the topping

150g/5oz butter

1 x 379g can condensed milk

100g/3½oz golden syrup

350g/12oz dark chocolate, or a mixture of dark and milk, chopped into small pieces

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas 2. Line a 23cm/9in square cake tin with baking parchment.
2. Combine the flour and butter cubes in a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. (Alternatively, you can rub the butter in by hand.)
3. Add in the caster sugar and pulse again until combined.
4. Tip the mixture into the lined cake tin and spread it out evenly with the back of a spoon. Then press the shortbread down firmly with your knuckles so that it is tightly packed in the tin.
5. Bake the shortbread for 30 minutes or until very light golden brown. Set aside to cool.
6. Meanwhile, for the topping, heat the butter, condensed milk and golden syrup in a saucepan, stirring occasionally until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth.
7. Increase the heat and bring the mixture to the boil, stirring frequently. The caramel will thicken and turn golden-brown. Set aside to cool slightly, then pour over the cooled shortbread. Allow to cool completely. [Condensed milk can be thickened by boiling it in the tin; 2.5 hours is definitely not enough though]
8. Melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water (ensure that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water), stirring occasionally.
9. Pour the melted chocolate over the caramel and set aside until the chocolate has cooled completely.
10. Cut into squares and serve.