Vegan Millionaires Shortbread.
Due to popular demand I have come up with a vegan recipe that can also be made Gluten free (just swap the flour for GF flour) for all you lovely people with varying dietary requirements. And I wouldn’t want you to feel left out with a saintly edition to the roster, so went for it and did this indulgent naughty treat that is bound to please!
Ingredients
For the shortbread -
175 g plain flour (You can swap for GF flour too)
50 g golden caster sugar
2 tbs cornflour
125 g vegan spread / butter alternative
1/4 tsp salt
For the caramel -
130 g vegan spread / butter alternative
125 g light brown soft sugar
370 g (1 tin) vegan condensed milk alternative
50 ml vegan soya cream or milk alternative
3 tbsp cornflour
1 tsp sea salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
For the chocolate top layer -
300 g vegan dark chocolate, finely chopped (you can use milk chocolate but it may be a little sweet)
Maldon sea salt flakes to decorate.
Method
1 -
Preheat your oven to 160 degrees C.
Grease and line an 8x8” (20cm) square brownie tin with parchment paper and set aside.
2 -
In a large bowl, sift together your flour, sugar, cornflour and salt. To this, add your vegan spread and, working quickly and gently, rub everything together with your fingertips until the mixture looks sandy and starts to come together as a dough. Transfer to your prepared cake tin and smooth out with the back of a spoon or the bottom of a glass until you have one even layer. Press holes over the surface using a fork and refrigerate for 15-20 mins until firm.
3 -
Once chilled, remove and bake for 20-25 mins until lightly golden brown and the centre is firm to the touch. Allow it to cool fully whilst you prepare the caramel.
For the caramel -
1 -
Add your vegan spread, sugar, and condensed milk alternative into a saucepan and begin to heat on medium to low heat. Once bubbles start to form, allow to boil for 4-6 mins or until the mix reaches 116 degrees C. If you do not have a thermometer, you can take a small drop of the caramel and place on a cold plate or into a glass of cold water, and then test how soft and chewy the caramel is. Keep in mind that the mix will continue to cook off the heat so you may want to remove it just before it has reached temp. Whilst the caramel boils, mix your milk/cream with your cornflour and set aside. Once the caramel is done, remove from the heat and quickly add your cornflour mixture and stir vigorously to combine. Then, add your vanilla and salt, stir to combine again and allow to cool briefly before adding to your cooled shortbread, smoothing out to an even layer. Do be careful not to burn yourself. Allow to cool completely before moving to the next step.
To finish -
1 -
In a large heatproof bowl set over a pot of barely simmering water, add 200 g of your finely chopped chocolate and allow to melt gently. Ensure that no chunks of unmelted chocolate remains. Once done, remove from the heat and add the remaining 100 g of finely chopped chocolate and stir thoroughly for 1-2 mins until very smooth, shiny and all the chocolate has melted.
Pour this over your caramel layer and smooth out into an even layer. You can also use a spoon or palette knife to swirl patterns/texture into the surface. Sprinkle with flakey salt and set aside to set fully at room temperature. Cooling in the fridge can cause the chocolate to dull on the surface so be sure to let it cool on your countertop.
2 -
Once set, use a knife dipped in boiling water (and dried) to slice into bars of whatever size you fancy. You can go big and indulgent or go small and dainty (and them come back for seconds).
Keep stored in an air tight container in a cool cupboard for 3-4 days.
