Pecan Millionaire Shortbread
This Pecan Millionaire Shortbread has the most incredible browned butter and Pecan shortbread, homemade caramel, milk chocolate and pecan topping.
Pecans are one of my absolute favourite nuts, I really should bake with them more often because they have such a sweet and buttery taste. They work so well with the browned butter shortbread.
Reasons To Love This Pecan Millionaire Shortbread
Browned Butter Shortbread – If you haven’t come across browned butter before, it is super easy to make, and it tastes amazing. You need to melt the butter in a saucepan and then keep it on the hob for another few minutes until it starts to brown and you get little brown flecks in the butter. I don’t think I am making sound particularly nice but trust me it has the most delicious nutty smell and flavour. It works absolutely perfectly with the Pecans.
Homemade Caramel – I am sure I say this with every Millionaire Shortbread recipe but please, please, PLEASE! Make your own caramel. If you use a ready-made caramel, it won’t set it will just splodge out everywhere when you cut the millionaire shortbread. Homemade caramel only takes a few ingredients and is pretty simple to make.
Perfect for Sharing – I cut this Millionaire Shortbread into 16 but you can cut them into more or less depending on how many people you are sharing it with.
Browned Butter Pecan Shortbread
For the browned butter shortbread, I would recommend using unsalted butter rather than a baking spread like Stork, I just find it works so much better. Pop it into a saucepan on a low/medium heat and stir until completely melted.
Once it has completely melted continue stirring, the butter will become frothy but keep stirring. You will begin to see brown specks in the bottom of the saucepan it will also start to smell nutty.
This is your browned butter. Now, all we need to do now is add in the flour and sugar. I did this in a separate bowl and added the browned butter while it was still warm. Mix together the three ingredients until it starts to form a dough.
Realted Recipes
Jammie Dodger Millionaire Shortbread
Finally fold through the Pecans until evenly distributed, and pop the shortbread into the tin. It is completely up to you how you do this. I normally do it in one of two ways. I either add all the dough to the centre of the tin and then press it down using a spatula or my hands until it is flat and even.
Another way is to break the shortbread up into smaller chunks and press them into the tin until all the shortbread is in the tin. Again, press it down until it is flat and even.
Before you start Baking
I always preheat my oven before I start baking, that way I can put the shortbread in as soon as it is in the tin.
I also cut up my Pecans, in too halves and quarters and leave them to one side.
Another thing you can do is prepare all your ingredients. So put all the ingredients into separate bowls so they are ready to go when you need them.
Baking the Shortbread
Bake the shortbread for 20-25 minutes. You will know the shortbread is baked when it is golden brown around the edges.
One of the good things about Millionaire Shortbread is you don’t need to wait on the shortbread cooling before making the caramel.
If you aren’t making the Millionaire Shortbread on the same day, it is completely okay to leave the shortbread to cool fully before making the caramel. Just leave it to cool in the tin.
Homemade Caramel
Once your shortbread has baked and cooled you can start making the caramel. If you haven’t made your own caramel before don’t worry. Just take it one step at a time.
Please, please, please make your own caramel. The caramel in this recipe sets, so when you cut it, it holds its shape. If you use pre-made caramel-like Carnations it is too soft, it won’t hold its shape and when you cut it, it will just splodge out everywhere.
To make the caramel add all the ingredients to a saucepan and heat on a low/medium heat until the butter has completely melted, and the sugar has dissolved.
For the caramel, you need to use Unsalted Butter rather than a baking spread like Stork. I remove it from the fridge just before I put it in the saucepan so that it is still cold.
Once the butter has melted and the sugar dissolved turn the heat up and let the caramel boil for around 4-6 minutes. During this time, it will become a lot more golden in colour and a lot thicker too.
The one thing with the caramel is you need to constantly stir it. If not, it might end up catching and burning. Don’t worry if you end up with lumpy dark pieces of caramel, then these are the bits that have caught.
If your caramel is still grainy at the end, it is because you didn’t let the sugar dissolve enough. It is super important to do the first steps slowly to stop this from happening.
Once the caramel is ready pour it on top of your shortbread, and pop it into the fridge until it has set.
Chocolate Topping
Once your caramel has set, add the chocolate to a heatproof bowl. Put it into the microwave for 20-second bursts stirring in between until it is completely melted.
I used milk chocolate but you could use dark, white or a combination of milk and dark. Once the chocolate is completely melted pour it over the top of your caramel and sprinkle over the pecans.
Alternatives
If you don’t want to use browned butter, just add the butter to the flour and sugar and mix to make the dough.
You could add pecans to the caramel but to be honest, there are so many pecans already in this bake. BUT if you want to add more you can either pour the caramel on top of the shortbread and sprinkle over the pecans. Or add the pecans to the caramel and mix just before you pour it over the shortbread.
Equipment
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Pecan Millionaire Shortbread
Ingredients
For the Browned Butter Shortbread
- 200 g Unsalted Butter
- 300 g Plain Flour
- 100 g Caster Sugar
- 75 g Pecans (halved and quarters)
For the Caramel
- 397 g Condensed Milk (1 tin)
- 50 g Caster Sugar
- 75 g Golden Syrup
- 225 g Unsalted Butter
For the Chocolate Topping
- 400 g Milk Chocolate
- 100-150 g Pecans (halved and quartered)
Instructions
To Make the Browned Butter Shortbread
- Line a 9" square cake tin with non-stick baking paper. Preheat the oven to 180C (160C Fan).
- Add the butter to a saucepan on a low/medium heat and stir until completley melted.
- Continue to stir the butter, it will become frothy but this is okay. Look out for brown specks in the bottom of the saucepan. The butter will start to turn brown and smell nutty.
- Remove the butter from the heat and leave to one side.
- In a seperate bowl add the flour and sugar and whisk until fully incorporated. Add in the butter and beat until it forms a dough.
- Add in the pecans and beat again until they are evenly distributed.
- Pour the mixture into your cake tin and press down until it is even and flat.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden.
- Remove from the oven and leave to one side.
To Make the Caramel
- To make the caramel put the condensed milk, sugar, golden syrup and butter into a large pan over a low heat.
- Stir continually until the sugar has dissolve and the butter has melted. Turn the heat up to medium and boil until the caramel has thickened and darkened in colour. Stir continuously to ensure the caramel doesn’t burn.
- Once the caramel is nice and thick it should take between 5-8 minutes, pour it over the top of your shortbread biscuit and leave to cool.
- Put it in the fridge until the caramel had cooled and set.
To Make the Topping
- Add the chocolate to a heatproof bowl and melt in 20 second bursts stirring in between until it is smooth and completely melted.
- Pour it over your carmael and smooth.
- Finish with your Pecans.
- Put the millionaire shortbread back into the fridge until the chocolate has set. Remove from the tin and cut into individual portions.