I tasted my first bite of millionaire’s shortbread when I was living in Bath, a beautiful Georgian city in Somerset county. I moved to England for a year when I was 21, and found work in the kitchen of a charming café bistro. A dozen years later, I’ve created my version of this rich and refined dessert. This recipe was worth the wait! For the base, we have a rich, buttery, crumbly shortbread cookie that only requires 3 ingredients. The simple yet classic Scottish cookie is then slathered with a thick layer of soft, chewy salted caramel, and topped with a chocolate ganache. The layered treat offers a variety of textures and flavours in each indulgent bite.
If you don’t have a food processor, you can rub the cold butter cubes into the flour by hand until you reach a crumbly texture that is pliable and soft.
To dock the dough refers to using a fork to prick the dough before baking it. This simple technique pokes holes in the dough to ensure the steam can escape as it bakes. This way, the dough does not puff up in the oven.
Typically millionaire’s shortbread is made with golden syrup, but as a Canadian I use any and all opportunities to replace golden/corn syrup with pure maple syrup instead.
I opted for a salted caramel layer, with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. If you prefer a sweeter, less salty caramel, simply switch out the kosher salt for ½ teaspoon of table salt.
Make sure to finely chop the chocolate before pouring the cream over it. Another option is to finely grate the chocolate.
Once you’ve poured the simmering cream onto the chocolate, let the mixture sit for a few minutes. This allows the cream to melt the chocolate. If you stir the ganache too soon, you risk breaking it, resulting in a grainy texture.
Use a spatula, not a whisk, to gently stir the chocolate and the cream together. The whisk will incorporate air, which we do not want.
The ratio of chocolate to cream differs depending on the purpose of the ganache. A ganache can be used for truffles, dips, frostings, glazes, etc.
Do not use chocolate chips! They will not give the best melted consistency.
I suggest you select a chocolate that contains 56% to 64% cocoa.
Every oven is unique, and finicky in its own way. I think every home baker should use an oven thermometer to get the most accurate read. Your bake time might differ depending on your oven.
To get the best, most consistent results when baking, it is imperative that you take the time to weigh your ingredients. A kitchen scale is a must for all home bakers.
Kitchen scale
Oven thermometer
9 x 9 in square baking pan
Parchment paper
Bowls
Teaspoon
Food processor
Fork
Large flat offset spatula
Medium saucepan
Candy thermometer
Spatula
Small offset spatula
Small saucepan
Knife
Serrated knife
Cutting board
Bon appétit!
xo
Ariane
The decadent millionaire’s shortbread: A traditional Scottish cookie with a rich buttery crumb is slathered with a soft and chewy salted caramel, then topped with a dark chocolate ganache. Unadulterated indulgence at its finest.
Shortbread:
Caramel Layer:
Chocolate Ganache:
Shortbread:
Caramel Layer:
Chocolate Ganache:
I’m so grateful you’re here! Have a look around at some of my favourite recipes and stay a while.
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