A long walk needs snacks, both as a reward for all the miles you’ve trodden and as encouragement to keep going along the way.
This millionaire’s shortbread is slightly more time consuming as it has three steps, to the point where I put it in the freezer to set so it would be ready in time for our walk! It’s worth the effort though. This makes about 12 medium size squares.
Ingredients
250g plain flour
75g icing sugar
Sea salt
Vegan butter – I used Naturli – 175g for the shortbread and 175g for the caramel
200g maple or golden syrup or agave nectar
175g brown sugar
100g caster sugar
150ml plant milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
200g dark chocolate
Method
First make the shortbread. After preheating the oven to 170/Gas Mark 4, combine the icing sugar, a pinch of salt and flour in a bowl. Work the vegan butter into the mixture by rubbing it into a breadcrumb like consistency with your fingers until all the lumps are gone. Then press the mixture into a rectangular cake tin, making sure it is tightly packed in to the tin. Prick with a fork all over and bake for 20 minutes until golden. Let it cool.
Then make the caramel. It’s very useful to have a sugar thermometer for this bit. Put the butter, syrup, brown and caster sugar and plant milk in a pan and stir, bringing to the boil until they reach 115 degrees on your thermometer or until is bubbling vigorously. When it gets to that point, add the vanilla and salt and remove from the heat. Stir for ten minutes then pour on the cooled shortbread.
Finally, melt the chocolate – the easiest way is to put it in a heatproof bowl over a pan of boiling water. Pour it over the cooled shortbread and caramel and refrigerate to set (or put in the freezer if you’re in a rush!)