I can’t think of a better way to tell someone you love them this Valentine’s Day than with Millionaire Shortbread.
Because, let me tell you – love is the only force powerful enough to get you through this recipe!
Am I talking you out of this yet? Please keep reading. I promise the payoff is good.
Millionaire Shortbread is the book-inspired recipe for The Flatshare. One of the first ways that lovebirds Tiffy and Leon connect, apart from their many Post-It notes, is with food.
When Tiffy moves into Leon’s apartment (excuse me, flat), she’s in baking overdrive and leaves treats for Leon to munch on when he comes home from work. Leon, who loves to cook, returns the favor by leaving dinners in the fridge for Tiffy for when she comes home from work.
And so love blooms.
Of the many baked goods Tiffy leaves in her wake, the Millionaire Shortbread caught my eye, first because of the name (sounds FANCY), and secondly because of what I saw when I googled it: a crunchy cookie layered with caramel and chocolate.
It sounded like a really, really upscale Twix bar, and I was all over that.
Millionaire Shortbread is probably one of the most decadent treats I’ve ever made. It is SUPER sweet. Like, we’re talking insta-cavities, people.
It’s also super delicious.
I mean, you really can’t go wrong with a buttery, crumbly cookie, an oozing layer of vanilla caramel, and another layer of chocolate ganache topped with flaky sea salt.
Every bite is a sinful indulgence.
AND THOSE LAYERS. Don’t even get me started on the layers. You can’t imagine how excited I was when I cut into this Millionaire Shortbread and layer after perfect layer greeted me, just like they’re supposed to.
It wasn’t even hard to do!
That’s the thing about Millionaire Shortbread: those delicious layers look super difficult to acheive, but they’re actually really easy to make happen.
However…it does take time and require a good amount of patience. If you make this recipe, there will be times when you’re tempted to rush a step or skip ahead.
I know, because I had many of them.
BUT DON’T DO IT. Just like a good romance, you don’t want to rush this. Millionaire Shortbread simply isn’t a dessert you make in a hurry.
So, clear your schedule, indulge in a day of baking, and get ready to enjoy one of the most decadent desserts to ever hit your tastebuds.
Millionaire Shortbread (Recipe Inspired by THE FLATSHARE)
Ingredients
SHORTBREAD INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted and finely chopped
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
CARAMEL INGREDIENTS
- 1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
CHOCOLATE GANACHE INGREDIENTS
- 8 oz bittersweet chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
GARNISH INGREDIENTS
- 1/8 cup (or more, to taste) slivered almonds, roughly chopped
- A few generous pinches of flaky sea salt (or, to taste)
Instructions
SHORTBREAD INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Toast your almonds in a small pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and fragrant, 3-5 minutes. Keep an eye on them so they don’t burn. Set aside to cool.
- Line the heck out of a 9x13 baking dish with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the long sides of the pan. Be generous with the foil. Spray foil-lined dish with baking spray, then set aside.
- Now that the toasted almonds have cooled, finely chop them using a knife or a few pulses of a mini food processor. Set aside.
- Using a standmixer or electric handmixer, beat together the ¾ cup butter and confectioner’s sugar on medium speed for 2 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, ½ tsp salt, and chopped almonds.
- Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in batches, mixing until JUST combined each time.
- Dollop the dough evenly over the foil-lined baking dish, then use damp hands to spread the shortbread dough in a thin, even layer over the bottom of the dish. Dough will be sticky and difficult to spread, but it should eventually cover the entire bottom of the dish. (PATIENCE.)
- Bake the shortbread at 350F until golden brown, 26-28 mins. Remove dish to cooling rack and let cool at room temperature while you make the caramel.
CARAMEL INSTRUCTIONS
- Important note: do not start the caramel sauce until AFTER the shortbread has been removed from the oven. The caramel will need your full attention.
- Slice the ½ cup butter into pats.
- Place a potholder on your work surface.
- Measure out 2 tsp of vanilla extract and set aside next to the potholder.
- Clip your candy thermometer* to the side of a medium pot.
- Add the condensed milk, brown sugar, honey, ½ cup heavy cream, ½ tsp salt, and ½ cup butter (sliced) to the pot and stir gently to combine. Set the pot over medium-high heat**, STIRRING CONSTANTLY, until the caramel reads 236F on the candy thermometer – about 25-30 minutes. DO NOT TURN AWAY FROM THE CARAMEL; it can burn very quickly if left unattended. (PATIENCE.) The caramel will get very bubbly in the last 5-7 minutes, so be careful while stirring and reading the thermometer.
- Once caramel reaches desired temp, remove the pot from heat to the potholder. Immediately stir in the vanilla extract (careful: mixture will bubble violently when you do this), then immediately pour the caramel over the cooled shortbread in the baking dish. Use a spatula to spread the caramel over the shortbread in an even layer. DO NOT TOUCH THE CARAMEL WITH YOUR BARE HANDS.
- Let the caramel layer cool 1.5 hours, at room temperature, until the caramel is completely set (do not stick the dish in the fridge or freezer to speed up the cooling process).
CHOCOLATE GANACHE INSTRUCTIONS
- Important note: do not start the ganache until AFTER the caramel layer has completely cooled and set up.
- Combine the chocolate chips and ¼ heavy cream in a microwavable bowl. Place in microwave and heat 30 seconds. Remove and stir mixture with a spatula until semi-smooth, then return to microwave. Continue to microwave and stir in 10-second intervals until the ganache is completely smooth and thick.
- Immediately pour the chocolate ganache over the caramel layer in the baking dish. Use a spatala to smooth ganache in an even layer over the caramel.
- Sprinkle the ganache layer with extra chopped almonds and generous pinches of flaky sea salt.
- Place baking dish in freezer for 20 minutes to solidify.
SERVING INSTRUCTIONS
- After 20 minutes in the freezer, remove the baking dish to your work surface. Gently unfold the side foil flaps and pull up to remove Millionaire Shortbread (still encased in foil) from the baking dish.
- Place the shortbread on your work surface. Gently and slowly peel back the foil from all sides; the caramel may still be a bit sticky.
- Once all foil is removed from the sides, cut Millionaire Shortbread into 24-32 pieces, depending on preference. Serve at room temperature but store leftovers in the refrigerator or freezer.
