Millionaire shortbread is a high-fat, unleavened sweet made with layers of caramelized milk, condensed, and chocolate. Shortbread biscuit is made from flour, sugar, and butter. Caramel is made from sugar heated to a syrupy or taffy-like consistency, and chocolate topping is made with melted sweet and sour or semi-sweet baking squares. Additional ingredients can be added for variety. The origins of shortbread lie in Elizabethan-era Scotland.
Shortbread millionaires, also known as millionaire shortbread, is a confection made with layers of a high-fat, unleavened sweet; caramelized milk, condensed; and chocolate. It gets its texture from large amounts of butter, while heated condensed milk gives a creamy caramel filling and quality baking chocolate is the base for a smooth, rich topping. Additional ingredients and occasional add-ons may be incorporated. The treat is prepared in stages, with the bread baked first, followed by caramel and chocolate. Millionaire shortbread evolved from the earliest recipes of Elizabethan-era Scotland, with its decadent toppings added as recently as the 19th century.
The shortbread biscuit is an unleavened sweet biscuit made from flour, sugar and butter. Older recipes call for three parts flour, two parts butter, and one part sugar, although contemporary versions may divide it with powdered sugar. The cookie gets its name from its crumbly texture caused by the high fat content. Unlike shortcake, a related cookie, this treat never calls for any vegetable oil or leavening agents.
Caramel makes up the millionaire shortcrust pastry filling. In its simplest form, fudge is any sugar heated to a syrupy or taffy-like consistency, depending on the cooking temperature. It can be mixed with butter or milk to obtain a creamy texture. Most often, the millionaire shortbread calls for sweetened and condensed milk to be heated to a caramelized state, although canned or melted caramel sauce may be used as an alternative. The filling has a thick creamy texture after cooling.
Chocolate topping is most commonly made with melted sweet and sour or semi-sweet baking squares. Butter is added to maintain the creamy texture of the chocolate as it cools. The quality of baking the chocolate ultimately affects the taste of the shortbread cookie. Squares with a glossy texture and higher cocoa content are generally considered to be of higher quality.
Additional ingredients can be added to the millionaire shortcrust pastry to give variety to the basic biscuit. Cornmeal, rice flour, or oats are added for texture, while butter is sometimes added to the caramel filling for extra richness. Peanut butter, various nuts, and raisins can also be blended into the chocolate topping to boost the flavor profile.
The pastry layer is prepared first, with the dry ingredients sifted together, and the sugar and butter are spread and beaten next. After baking, the slightly cooled caramelized milk is layered onto the pastry, followed by the melted chocolate and any toppings or additions. The sheet is cut into squares before chilling in the refrigerator for several hours.
The origins of Shortbread lie in Elizabethan-era Scotland, when food was first prepared using ground oats. Contemporary recipes most commonly use wheat flour, although a variety of other grain-based meals can be used. Candied orange peel and almonds were added for special occasions as early as the 19th century, around the same time contemporary baking chocolate and sweetened condensed milk were introduced, eventually leading to the million dollar shortbread.
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