I hosted a ladies night a few weekends ago. I invited over all of the women I know in the neighborhood for cocktails, and most of them showed up! It was a super fun evening. I think I’ve cracked the code on entertaining, by the way. I ask my guests to bring whatever they’d like to drink, and an appetizer. In return, I provide a clean home, a signature cocktail, and dessert. This last soiree I made a spiked cider, and also it’s non alcoholic twin. For dessert I made pumpkin whoopie pies, and a decadent Millionaire’s Shortbread. Allow me to set the scene…the party begins with an empty dining room table. As the guests arrive, the table begins to fill up with cheese and crackers, Stromboli, chips and dips, and vegetable crudites. At some point during the party I channel a 50’s housewife, and pass out desserts on beautiful platters to all of my guests. As a conscientious hostess, I limit my drinking during the first half of the party. However, once it gets into full swing I begin to partake in the festivities. And partake I did! I giggled with my friends. I took silly selfies. And I smoked half of a cigarette. There was one little blemish to the night, however. I remember being apart of a conversation and when it was my turn to speak only gibberish came out. I fully blame the spiked cider, and an herbal refreshment I haven’t told you about yet. Anyway, I made a quick but classy exit, and then ate some delicious Millionaire’s Shortbread in the corner of the room. I soon forgot about the whole incident.
I got this delicious recipe from America’s Test Kitchen. Millionaire’s Shortbread is composed of a buttery shortbread bottom layer, a golden brown, caramel-like, middle layer, and a thin, chocolate, top layer. It’s quite like a Twix candy bar, but better because everything homemade tastes better.
There were a few things I learned when making Millionaire’s Shortbread:
- The filling isn’t quite caramel. It’s actually caramelized sweetened condensed milk.
- Adding a little corn syrup to melted chocolate makes it shiny, and flexible.
- Sprinkling a tiny amount of salt on desserts brings out the best in everything.
Let’s do it!
Make your shortbread dough…
and press it into your foil lined pan. Prick the bottom all around with a fork. Now, bake in a 350 degree F. oven for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown.
For the caramel filling… well, I’ll be honest with you, this stage is a practice in patience. I found myself stirring the glorious concoction of sweetened condensed milk, brown sugar, heavy cream, corn syrup, butter, and salt over a hot stove for about 40 minutes. You’re done when it reaches 237 degrees F., so have your candy thermometer ready. Now pour that rich, golden, loveliness over the baked shortbread.
If you were able to handle the caramel filling, the chocolate layer will be a walk in the park. In a heat-proof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water melt together the chocolate and a teaspoon of corn syrup. Stir until the chocolate mixture is melted and smooth, and then pour it over the caramel. Sprinkle with sea salt, and chill that baby in the refrigerator until the chocolate is set (about 15 minutes)
Slice it up into rectangle strips, or bite-sized squares,
and pass them out to all of your friends. You’re sure to be the hostess with the mostess’.
- 2 and ½ cups (313 g) All-Purpose Flour
- ½ cup (100 g) Sugar
- ¾ tsp. Salt
- 16 TBS (226.8 g) Unsalted Butter, melted
- 1 (14 oz.) Can Of Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 1 cup (200 g) Brown Sugar, packed
- ½ cup Heavy Cream
- ½ cup Corn Syrup
- 8 TBS (113 g) Unsalted Butter
- ½ tsp. Salt
- 8 oz. (226 g) Bittersweet Chocolate
- 1 tsp. Corn Syrup
- Sea Salt for sprinkling
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 13” by 9” baking pan with foil. Be sure the foil is large enough to run up the sides and over the rim of the pan—like a sling.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, and salt. Stir in the melted butter until the dry ingredients are moistened. Press the dough into the bottom of the foil-lined pan. Be sure to press into an even thickness. Pierce the dough all around in 1-inch intervals with a fork. Bake for 25 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. Once out of the oven press the dough down all around with a flat spatula to compress. Set aside to cool until just warm.
- In a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, stir together all of the filling ingredients. Stir frequently while monitoring the temperature (use a candy thermometer). When the filling’s temperature is between 236 degrees F. to 239 degrees F. carefully pour it over the shortbread crust. Please be very careful. This mixture is extremely hot. Set aside the shortbread/caramel to cool completely (about 1 and ½ hours).
- Place a heat-proof bowl of the chopped chocolate, and corn syrup over a saucepan of boiling water. Be sure that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Over the medium heat, stir the chocolate and corn syrup until melted. Pour the chocolate coating over top the caramel filling. Use and offset spatula to smooth it all around. Finally, sprinkle the top of the chocolate with a little sea salt. Refrigerate shortbread until chocolate has set (about 15 minutes).
- Pull the foil overhang carefully to remove the shortbread from the pan. Remove the foil, and then place the dessert onto a cutting board. With a serrated knife, cut the shortbread in half crosswise. Cut each rectangle in half to create four 3 ½-inch by 9-inch strips. Cut each strip crosswise into 10 equal pieces.
- Or, you can cut it up however you darn well please.
- Shortbread can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 week.
- Foil
- 13” by 9” baking pan
- Saucepan
- Heat proof bowl
- Candy thermometer
- Spatula
- Offset spatula
