Salted Caramel Millionaire's Shortbread Bars

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C (160 °C fan). Line a 15×13 cm square tin with baking paper, leaving it overhanging on two sides so you can lift the bars out later.

   oven

2. Mix the flour and sugar in a bowl, add the cold butter and rub it in with your fingertips until it looks like breadcrumbs. When a squeeze holds together, tip it into the tin, press it down firmly and evenly with the back of a spoon, and prick it a few times with a fork.

   Add in this stepPlain flour 100 gCaster sugar 25 gUnsalted butter, cold and diced 75 g

3. Bake in the oven for 18 min, until pale golden at the edges, then leave to cool in the tin.

   oven

4. In a heavy-based 16 cm saucepan, put the caramel butter, brown sugar, golden syrup and condensed milk. Stir on low heat for 3 min until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves completely. Turn up to medium heat and, once it bubbles, cook for 6 min, scraping the bottom constantly with a silicone spatula, until it thickens to a deep caramel colour and a trail drawn through it holds for a moment. Turn off the heat and stir in half the salt. Boiling caramel is extremely hot and sticks to skin: don't taste it and keep children away.

   Add in this stepUnsalted butter (for the caramel) 50 gLight brown sugar 50 gGolden syrup 1 tbspSweetened condensed milk 200 gFlaky sea salt ¼ tsp

   low heat→medium heat

5. Pour the caramel straight onto the baked shortbread and spread it evenly. Let it cool a little, then chill for 30 min, until it no longer sticks to your finger.

6. Chop the chocolate, put it in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water on low heat (the bowl must not touch the water) and stir for 3 min until melted. Pour it over the caramel, tilt the tin to spread it and sprinkle with the remaining salt. Leave to set for 30 min at room temperature or in the fridge, then lift out by the paper and cut with a knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry. Allow 2 bars per serving.

   Add in this stepDark chocolate (50 to 60% cocoa) 100 gFlaky sea salt ¼ tsp

   low heat