Millionaire Shortbread (Caramel Biscuits)

Ingredients:

For the Shortbread

175g(6oz) butter, softened

75g (3oz) sugar

285g (10oz) plain flour

For the caramel centre

1 tin 397g condensed milk

110g (4oz) butter

110g (4oz) sugar

2 tbsp golden syrup

200g bar milk chocolate

Method: 

Oven Preheat 180C/Gas 4 or Aga second runner Baking Oven or 2 Oven last runner of the Roasting Oven with the cold plain shelf on the second runners.

First make the shortbreadby creaming together the butter and sugar first then adding the flour.  This can be done in a food processor or with a hand mixer.  When the crumbs start to come together it is ready to spread out into a Swiss roll tin.  Bake for 15 minutes or until slightly golden, not too brown or it will be too crunchy.

To make the caramel:  Place the butter and sugar in a heavy saucepan and gently melt the sugar into the butter, then add the full contents of the tin and stir well.  Constantly stirring, now bring to the boil and gently boil until the mixture changes colour from a milk to a caramel shade and the bubbles are starting to appear around the edges of the saucepan.  To check if the caramel is ready, gently lift the saucepan at an angle, slightly titled and the caramel should leave the side of the saucepan cleanly.  Pour over the cooked shortbread.

Melt in the chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of hot water and spread over the cooled caramel.

AGA:  Before starting to make the shortbread place the saucepan with butter and sugar in the Simmering Oven to melt.  When ready to make the caramel simply pour in the tin of condensed milk and bring to the boil on the boiling plate, stirring all the time, it should be caramel in around 2-3 minutes, same check as above.  Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and place on the back of the Aga to melt.

This recipe gives a lovely thick caramel sauce and provides 24-30 biscuits depending on the size you like! Definitely very morish!