johnwhaite:

trillionaire’s shortbread - shortbread, salted caramel and chocolate ganache

I don’t think a biscuit could be any more indulgent, hence this bad boy’s name. It is different from the regular ‘pauper’ of a millionaire’s shortbread as it contains vanilla pod and… wait for it… salted caramel. 

If you are a sucker for salty sweet, you’ll be a sucker for this.

ingredients (makes 12 large triangles, or 24 smaller)

Shortbread

• 110g sugar
• 225g butter
• 340g plain flour
• The seeds from one vanilla pod

Caramel 

• 300g caster sugar
• 3tbsp water
• 80g salted butter, diced into 1cm cubes
• 120ml double cream
• 1/2 - 1 tsp salt (depending on taste)

Chocolate Ganache 

• 300g dark or milk chocolate
• 150ml double cream

Method 

1. Preheat the oven to 180C (fan) and line a 25x20cm roasting tray with baking parchment, ensuring it comes up the sides too. 
2. To make the biscuit, place the ingredients into a food processor and blitz into a damp sand. Tip into the tray and flatten down with a spoon or your hand, to an even, compact biscuit. Prick with a fork and bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until very pale golden. Allow to cool completely. 
3. Meanwhile, to make the caramel heat the caster sugar and water in a saucepan over a high heat and allow to boil. Do not stir at any stage. When the sugar turns a dark amber, remove from the heat and add the butter. Swirl the pan around to allow to the butter to mix with the sugar, then add the cream and salt, and stir with a metal spoon. Return to the heat and allow to boil for a minute, remove from the heat and allow to cool. 
4. Once the caramel has cooled, pour on top of the shortbread and even out with a spatula. Place into the fridge to firm. 
5. Meanwhile, to make the chocolate ganache, chop the chocolate into fine shards - or grate - and place into a large, heatproof mixing bowl. Place the cream into a saucepan over a medium-high heat and when it begins to bubble pour onto the chocolate, and with a metal spoon, mix the cream and chocolate together so that the chocolate melts into the cream. If after a few minutes of stirring you still have a few lumps of chocolate, simply place the bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir until perfectly smooth. Allow this to cool slightly, then pour over the caramel topped biscuit and gently smooth, trying not to disturb the caramel beneath. 
6. Place back into the fridge for at least and hour. When ready to serve remove from the tin and cut into 6 squares, then cut each square in half on the diagonal so you have 12 triangles, or again if you want 24 smaller triangles.