Millionaire Shortbread | Easy Recipes From Home (2024)

FAQs

Why is the caramel not setting on my millionaire shortbread? ›

If your caramel is too soft, you didn't do it for long enough, so should definitely be kept in the fridge. You want to use a good quality pan if you can, as some pans have a very thin base. Basically, if the base is too thin, you might burn the caramel.

For my filling, I simply swap the condensed milk for tinned carnation caramel (a.k.a. dulce de leche) instead. This tinned caramel is actually made from sweetened condensed milk so it's essentially the same thing but it's pre-caramelised for you!

Classic shortbread is made of only three ingredients — butter, flour, and sugar, but this is Millionaire's shortbread so we're making sure it lives up to its name. An egg yolk, some brown sugar, and vanilla extract all make this cookie crust extra flavorful, and slightly softer than standard shortbread as well.

A good way to check to see if the shortbread is baked is to see if they are set - they will be slightly firm around the outside, and may be just beginning to turn golden around the edges. You want to keep them nice and pale so make sure your oven is running at the temperature it says that it is.

The most common mistakes when making shortbread are over-working the dough, and incorporating too much flour. The less you work the dough, the more crumbly and melt-in-your-mouth your shortbread cookies will be.

If caramels are too soft, that means the temperature didn't get high enough. Again place the caramel back into a sauce pan with a couple of tablespoons of water and heat to 244°F. If you don't have a candy thermometer, you can test with a cold water test.

For the most part, if you find yourself without condensed milk on hand, you can substitute an equal amount of evaporated milk. The consistency will be the same, but since evaporated milk is unsweetened, you'll need to add sweetener to match the recipe's intended flavor profile or to suit your personal preference.

Canned cream of coconut

Cream of coconut is a great substitute for sweetened condensed milk, giving a hint of tropical flavor. It's dairy-free and can be substituted cup for cup. The thick consistency of cream of coconut closely resembles sweetened condensed milk, allowing for similar richness in many recipes.

Almond Milk and Sugar

For a substitute, simmer 2 cups of almond milk over low heat until the liquid reduces to 1 cup. (This is not a one-to-one alternative. You do need 2 cups of almond milk to make one cup of sweetened condensed milk.) To sweeten this up, you can add 2/3 cup of any type of sugar and mix.

Caramel shortbread, also known as caramel squares, caramel slice, millionaire's shortbread, millionaire's slice, chocolate caramel shortbread, and Wellington squares is a biscuit confectionery item composed of a rectangular, triangular or circular shortbread biscuit base topped with caramel and milk chocolate.

What's the difference between millionaire shortbread and billionaire shortbread? ›

What's the difference between millionaire shortbread and billionaire shortbread? Millionaire shortbread has a caramel centre, billionaire shortbread has a decadent salted caramel centre. Can shortbread biscuits be frozen? Yes shortbread cookies and biscuits (even with caramel and chocolate) freeze perfectly.

As shortbread was made with butter, sugar and flour, it would be both expensive and difficult to get hold of the ingredients, and so became synonymous with wealth, luxury and celebrations.

This unexpected addition will make buttery confections like shortbreads and shortcakes even more tender and flaky. “Biscuits should be crumbly, buttery and sweet,” reads a headnote for a cinnamon sugar-spiced shortbread recipe in the Ritz London Cookbook.

Greasy mess: Extra butter means more fat, making the dough greasy and difficult to handle. Spreading like crazy: Cookies lose their shape, spreading thin and flat instead of staying nice and round. Uneven baking: The excess fat can burn easily on the edges while leaving the center undercooked.

It should never appear raw or slightly opaque in the middle. If it is under-baked in the middle, it will probably stick in the pan when you go to unmold it. Be sure to let the shortbread cool in the pan for 10 minutes before you flip the pan over to unmold it. This gives the delicate cookie a chance to firm up a bit.

skim condensed milk) instead of full fat milk (it will not set properly), you didn't bake the caramel layer (this makes sure it sets) or you used a recipe where the caramel filling is made without condensed milk (in which case you need a candy thermometer to achieve an exact temperature to ensure it sets).

you simply haven't cooked it enough-- possibly your microwave is less powerful (the original recipe doesn't specify a wattage for cooking the caramel) or the butter you used has a higher water content. You could try cooking the mixture for a little longer, and seeing if it sets up firmer.

Add more sugar to the sauce.

Most caramel sauces are made by caramelizing sugar and adding milk and a little salt. If you increase the amount of sugar in the recipe you'll end up with a thicker caramel. Try increasing the sugar by about 1/3.

Make absolutely certain the pan is clean AND your sugar is clean and free from impurities like dirt or residue. Sugar crystals can hook up with those impurities causing your caramel to seize and crystallize.