Millionaire Shortbread

INGREDIENTS

• 250 (1 C – 2 sticks) Butter – NOT MARGARINE!
• 250 gm (2 C) Plain AP flour
• 125 gm (1 C) caster sugar
• 125 gm (1 C) cornflour
• ½ tsp salt

STEP BY STEP

1. Let butter come up to room temperature or soften butter in microwave at 30% power for 60 seconds
2. Put into a Kitchen Aid with the sugar and mix with paddle attachment on high for about 5 minutes, or until it starts to become creamy.
3. At a low speed, add both the flours.  Mix – increasing speed a bit when flour is mixed in.
4. Pre-heat oven to 300º F.

DECISION TIME:  Are you making Millionaire Shortbread, or simply Shortbread Cookies?

REGULAR COOKIES

1. On a floured surface roll out 1/3 of dough to about 1 cm (but not more) thickness. Cut out round biscuits and move to lightly greased trays.
2. Dock cookies with the tines of a fork
3. Once all the dough has been used, put trays into oven on the bottom two shelves and bake for 1 ½ hours, shuffling the trays around halfway through
4. The biscuits should be pale and short, not doughy (test 10 minutes after coming out of the oven – if doughy = wet, put back and bake for further 10 – 15 minutes).
5. Sprinkle with sugar immediately after coming out of the oven, leave to rest for 10 minutes before putting them on racks
6. Store in air tight containers.

MILLIONAIRE SHORTBREAD

1. Prepare basic shortbread dough as shown above.
2. Grease a 9×12 rimmed baking sheet and line COMPLETELY with parchment paper
3. Press dough onto sheet evenly and dock thoroughly with tines of a fork
4. Bake at 350º for 30 minutes
5. Remove from oven and press down using another baking sheet so that it is completely flat and compressed
6. Let cool while you prepare the caramel
   CARAMEL PREPARATION
7. Heat 1 can (14 oz) Sweetened Condensed Milk over medium heat to near boiling
8. Remove from heat and mix in 1 C compressed brown sugar, 1/2 C corn syrup (Karo), 8 TBL softened butter, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 C heavy cream
9. Continue to heat (about 16-20 minutes) until temperature is between 236º and 239º – BE EXACT – Stir occasionally
10. Pour onto shortbread crust and smooth using offset spatula
11. Cool on counter, then refrigerate for 90 minutes before the next step
    CHOCOLATE TOPPING
12. Microwave 6-10 oz bittersweet chocolate at 50% power for 60 seconds.  Repeat at 30 second sessions, until stirring creates a smooth chocolate mixture
13. Add 2 oz cocoa powder
14. Pour over top of the caramel topping using an offset spatula to smooth.
15. Sprinkle very sparingly with sea salt on some, Turbinado sugar on some, and crushed graham crackers on others… or not!
16. Refrigerate only 10 minutes, then remove to cut into strips or squares using a serrated knife
17. Cool and wrap in plastic, waxed paper or foil pieces