Millionaire's Shortbread
Millionaire's Shortbread is one of those recipes we genuinely can't stop making. There's something about that triple layer of crumbly shortbread, thick salted caramel, and rich chocolate that just gets us every time. The brazil nut base is a bit of a game changer, giving you this incredibly buttery, melt-in-the-mouth texture without any dairy. If you've ever thought vegan baking means compromising on the good stuff, this recipe will change your mind completely.
Before You Start
- Preheat oven to 180°C
- 23cm square tin greased & lined with baking paper
- Food processor
- Heavy-based pan
- Heatproof bowl
- Palette knife
- Fork
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 150g Brazil nuts
- 150ml olive oil
- 150g golden caster golden
- 100g demerera sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- 200g plain flour
- 100g semolina
- 2 can of plant-based evaporated coconut milk
- 250g golden caster golden
- 100ml golden syrup
- 125g coconut oil
- Pinch of salt
- 200g of 70% cocoa solids dark chocolate finely chopped
Method
Make the base
- Blitz the brazil nuts in a food processor until they start to form a paste
- Add the oil and blitz again until completely smooth. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the food processor and blitz again
- Put the sugars, salt, flour and semolina into a bowl mix well
- Add to the food processor and pulse, the mixture should form a moist crumb the colour of sand that sticks when pressed together
- Press into the tin, prick all over with a fork and bake for about 25-30 minutes, until golden and crisp. Allow to cool
Cook the base
- Press into the tin, prick all over with a fork and bake for about 25-30 minutes, until golden and crisp. Allow to cool
Make the caramel
- Put all the ingredients for the caramel in to a heavy-based pan, and heat gently, stirring to melt the coconut
- Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally and continue to simmer for about 15-20 minutes, until reduced by about half and thick and fudgey
- Pour over the shortbread and smooth with a palette knife. Set aside and allow to set
Finish and serve
- Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water spread evenly over the set caramel
- Leave until solid, then turn out and cut into squares
Tips & Variations
- Get the caramel right: Patience is everything with the caramel layer. Keep stirring and don't rush the heat or it'll catch on the bottom. Trust us on this one, it's worth the extra few minutes.
- Chill between layers: We always let each layer set properly in the fridge before adding the next. It makes cutting them into clean squares so much easier and they look brilliant.
- Top with flaky salt: Henry always adds a pinch of flaky sea salt on top of the chocolate before it sets. It sounds simple but it really does take the whole thing to another level.
Why This Works
The trick here is blitzing the brazil nuts into a paste first before adding the dry ingredients. It gives the base that classic shortbread richness without needing any butter at all. The semolina in the base also adds a subtle crunch that stops it going too soft under the caramel layer, which makes every bite properly satisfying.