When I have a serious dessert craving for something that is sweet, rich, and chocolatey, millionaire’s shortbread always delivers. It is decadent and luxurious, with a buttery shortbread base, a layer of caramel or butterscotch, and a thin coating of chocolate on top. My burnt honey millionaire’s shortbread bars have a wonderful floral flavor from the caramelized honey, whose sweetness is balanced out by an earl grey shortbread and a layer of bittersweet chocolate.
While I was researching millionaire’s shortbread recipes, I found that many of them used sweetened condensed milk and corn syrup, which have a tendency to be cloyingly sweet. Corn syrup is an invert sugar, which helps the caramel to have a soft, easy to bite texture. Honey is also an invert sugar so incorporating it into my recipe helped contribute to that perfect soft texture, while also adding flavor beyond pure sweetness. I cook the honey with granulated sugar to form a dark caramel, which helps cuts the sweetness. Heavy cream and butter are then added for more richness and a nice creamy texture, without adding too much additional sweetness.
The shortbread is a relatively classic biscuit to make. While this is optional, in my version, I add ground earl grey tea leaves for additional citrusy notes to round out the sweetness from the caramel and pair well with the flavor of the honey. The bars are topped with 70% chocolate to counterbalance the sweet caramel layer, creating the perfect bite.
Burnt honey millionaire’s shortbread
Course: Cookies and barsCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Baking session1
9 x 13-inch tray60
minutes20
minutesThis burnt honey millionaire’s shortbread has an earl grey shortbread base, a soft burnt honey caramel in the center, and a layer of dark chocolate on top.
Ingredients
- For the shortbread
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 Tbsp earl grey tea leaves (from a tea bag or freshly ground loose leaf tea)
2/3 cup (133g) granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 1/4 cups (281g) all-purpose flour
- For the caramel
1/3 cup honey (any type/flavor)
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
3/4 cup heavy cream
6 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
- For the chocolate layer
7 oz bittersweet chocolate
Instructions
- Prepare the shortbread
- Preheat the oven to 350F. In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and the earl grey tea until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla. Then add the sugar and beat until combined.
- Pour in the flour and salt and beat by hand or with an electric mixer until just combined. You may need to use your hands a few times to press the dough together.
- Line a 9 x 13 baking dish with parchment paper. Press the shortbread dough into the bottom of the pan. Use your palms or the bottom of a measuring cup to push down on the dough and create a smooth, compressed crust. Prick with a fork in many spots across the surface of the dough.
- Bake at 350F for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool completely.
- Make the caramel
- To a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan add the honey and granulated sugar. Cook on medium-low heat, stirring frequently, to dissolve the sugar and promote an even rate of caramelization. Once the sugar has dissolved, continue to stir or swirl the pan. Remove from the heat once the sugar is fragrant and has achieved a dark amber color (it will usually start smoking slightly). Stir in the heavy cream, followed by the butter, one tablespoon at a time, being careful not to get splattered.
- Return to medium-low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the temperature of the mixture has reached 235F. This is important for making sure that the caramel has the correct, soft texture. If you don’t have an instant read thermometer, you can use a bowl of ice water instead. Drop a small dollop of the caramel into the cold water and gently form a ball using your fingers. If the caramel forms a soft, pliable ball, it’s ready. If it doesn’t form a ball at all, it needs to heat up more.
- Once the caramel is ready, stir in the salt and vanilla. Then pour over the shortbread and spread into an even layer. Let sit for about 20 minutes and then refrigerate until cold.
- Prepare the chocolate
- In a double boiler, melt the chocolate, stirring occasionally. Pour melted chocolate over the caramel and spread evenly. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Let cool completely.
- Slice into squares and serve. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for several days or frozen and thawed.
Notes
- The shortbread will still be delicious without the earl grey, so you’re welcome to leave it out or experiment with different flavors for the base.
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