1
BILLIONAIRE’S SHORTBREAD
2
Makes 16 squares Takes 1 hour 30 mins, plus cooling and chilling Cost per serve 44p For the shortbread layer 125g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing 60g golden caster sugar 125g plain flour 60g rice flour For the caramel layer 200g caster sugar 125g unsalted butter, cubed 100g light muscovado sugar 175ml double cream For the chocolate bark topping 200g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), broken into pieces 200g white chocolate, broken into pieces pink, blue, yellow and green gel food colour white chocolate stars
Lightly grease and line a 20cm square tin with nonstick baking paper. For the shortbread, use an electric hand whisk to beat the butter and sugar in a bowl until combined. Add the flours and a pinch of salt and beat again, until it starts to form a dough.
Tip the dough into the tin. Press it down evenly with the back of a metal spoon. Prick all over with a fork and chill in the fridge for 1 hour to firm up. After 30 minutes, preheat the oven to gas 4, 180°C, fan 160°C. Once firm, bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden and baked through. Leave to cool completely.
4
5
Each square contains Energy
1655kJ 397kcal 20%
Sugars
Salt
26g 16g 30g 37% 78% 33%
Fat
0g 0%
Saturates
of the reference intake. See page 106. Carbohydrate 40g Protein 3g Fibre 2g
Delicious spins
Orange and chocolate
Add the zest of 2 oranges to the butter and sugar before adding the flours in step 1, and swap 30g plain flour for 30g cocoa powder.
Hazelnut and salted caramel
Toast 100g blanched hazelnuts, then roughly chop. Stir through the caramel with a generous pinch of sea salt in step 4 after removing it from the heat.
76
Return to a low heat, and wait for any solidified sugar to melt. Increase the heat slightly and simmer for about 7 minutes, until smooth, thick and golden. Leave to cool for 20 minutes. Pour the caramel onto the shortbread and chill until firm, about 2 hours.
White chocolate and almond
Replace the rice flour with ground almonds and swap the dark chocolate for white (still using 100g white chocolate for the coloured swirls).
Melt the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Divide between 4 bowls. Colour one with a few drops of pink colour, one with blue, one with yellow and one with green. Melt the dark chocolate. Cool slightly then pour over the caramel.
Perfect partner
Milk Chocolate Micro Eggs, £1/90g (£1·11/100g) If you want to give your chocolate bark topping an Easter twist, add these delicious, colourful chocolate eggs in step 6.
