Being someone who has never made caramel before, the prospect of making these vegan millionaires shortbread slices concerned me a little. How could I make them dairy free? I can’t get hold of dairy free double cream so how would caramel work? Will I burn the sugar? Would I make everything a crystallised mess?
The recipe had a previous incarnation using condensed milk as the caramel base- which worked well, if you like a chewy product that is a little bit difficult to get right! So I spent quite along time playing around with different caramels, yet I had no success. Until now! I discovered this recipe from School Night Vegan (absolute ledge) and I played around with it until I got the consistency/ volume that I so desperately wanted!
Now I had to delve in and make shortbread for the first time too. As someone who does not like shortbread unless it’s millionaires, I’ve never had the need to make it. The shortbread is quite possibly the easiest thing to make ever, and I am kicking myself for not making it sooner; as I quite like it…
The next step was me thinking I could make microwave ganache! Ha! How wrong was I, simple slabs of Bournville chocolate melted atop of the caramel works just perfectly. Now a caveat I must mention is that all products must be completely set before the addition of the next layer. Shortbread must be cold, caramel must have sat to thicken for 10 minutes at least, and must be completely set before being adorned with chocolate. This helps to keep the shape of the shortbreads from sliding when cut. I suggest, unlike my photos, you let the chocolate warm up a little from the fridge before slicing.
The moral of this story is that I was somewhat intimidated by elements of baking that I had weirdly never done before, but I shouldn’t have been. A little faith, drive and reading recipes (something my year 9’s can’t do) and everything will come up millhouse. Vegan millionaires shortbread is coming right up.
Equipment for Vegan Millionaires Shortbread:
- Lined brownie tin
- Mixing bowl
- Large heavy bottomed saucepan
- Wooden spoon x2
- Microwave proof bowl
super easy and delicious vegan millionaires shortbread.
- 300 g Plain flour
- 200 g Butter
- 100 g Caster sugar
- 130 g vegan butter
- 150 g golden syrup
- 130 g light brown sugar
- 125 g alternative milk (I use almond)
- 75 g caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 Bars Dark chocolate melted
-
Preheat your oven to 150C
-
In a bowl, cream together the sugar and butter.
-
Add in the flour and mix until a crumbly dough is formed.
-
Press the dough into the bottom of your tin, pierce with a fork all over and bake for 20 minutes until just set.
-
Whilst the shortbread is cooking, start making your caramel.
-
Add all caramel ingredients to a big, heavy bottomed pan (the mixture will bubble up quite substantially as it cooks!) and bring to the boil, stirring consistantly. Use a sugar thermometer (or a food probe) to bring the temperature to 116°C (it may say soft boil on your thermometer) Take off the heat and stir occasionally, as the sugar sets the caramel will thicken.
-
Pour the caramel over the cooled shortbread and leave to set in the fridge.
-
Pour the melted chocolate over the set caramel and stick in the fridge to set.
-
Once every element is set, take out of the fridge to warm up slightly before use a sharp, warmed chefs knife to cut into pieces.