This Malteser Millionaire Shortbread has a malt shortbread base, and homemade caramel and is topped with milk chocolate and, of course, Maltesers.

Maltesers and Millionaire Shortbread are two of my favourite things so combining them together is just, utter heaven.

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Square Tin

When I am making Millionaire Shortbread, I always use a 9-inch square spring-form tin. I just find that it is the millionaire shortbread is a perfect size and you get 16 perfect individual portions from it.

You can use any 9-inch square tin to make this Malteser Millionaire Shortbread. I just much prefer the spring-form tin because it makes getting the millionaire shortbread out of the tin at the end so much easier.

Lining the Square Tin

I always line any tin I use before baking using baking parchment. I lightly coat the sides and bottom of the tin with melted butter to stick the backing parchment.

With Millionaire Shortbread you need to ensure that the sides of the tin are completely covered. The last thing you want is for the chocolate or caramel to stick to the sides and you won’t be able to get it out.

If your square tin isn’t a loose-based tin or spring form if you ensure the baking parchment is taller than the sides of the cake, it will also make it easier to get the Millionaire Shortbread out at the end of baking. You will need to lift it out using the baking parchment.

Malt Shortbread Base

Since this is Malteser-flavoured Millionaire Shortbread of course I had to include more than just some Maltesers on top. So, I decided to add some malt powder to the shortbread base.

To do this I removed a small amount of flour and replaced it with malt powder, you can use either a branded one like Horlicks or a supermarket’s own brand one would also work perfectly.

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Malteser Muffins

Malteser Drip Cake

Malteser Macarons

The malt powder in the shortbread makes it taste exactly like the malt centre of a Malteser. It is delicious and the absolute perfect addition to this Millionaire Shortbread.

Apart from the malt power you only need three other ingredients for the shortbread – plain flour, caster sugar and butter. For the butter, you can either use a baking spread like Stork or a block of unsalted butter.

Pressing the Shortbread into the Tin

Everyone will have their own way of getting the shortbread into your lined tin. I prefer to move the dough from the bowl into the tin and gently press it in, using either my hands or a spatula.

If you are using a spatula, a little tip, if you coat the spatula in plain flour, it stops the shortbread from sticking to it.

Press the shortbread into the tin and ensure it is as even as possible before baking.

Homemade Caramel vs Shop Bought Caramel

While the shortbread is baking you can make the caramel. One of the great things about this millionaire shortbread is you don’t need to wait on the shortbread to cool before adding the caramel on top.

Getting the caramel perfect might take you a few tries. Don’t worry if it doesn’t turn out exactly, it should still taste delicious.

With the caramel, you need to make it yourself. You cannot use a shop-bought caramel like Carnations. Thick caramel such as Carnations won’t work in this millionaire shortbread because it doesn’t set.

If you use a shop-bought caramel and put it onto the top of your shortbread, then cover it with chocolate the chocolate will set but the caramel will still stay gloopy. So, when you cut into the set chocolate the caramel will just splodge out of the sides.

Homemade Caramel

The main thing to remember when making the caramel is you need to keep stirring it.

To begin with, the caramel needs to be on a low/medium heat. The butter needs to melt, and the sugar needs to dissolve. If you bring it to the boil before the sugar has dissolved, then your caramel is going to be grainy.

Keep an eye on it, if you find that the mixture is getting too hot, and your butter hasn’t melted yet there is no harm in turning it down to a lower heat.

Only once all the ingredients have melted/dissolved should you turn the mixture up to a medium/high heat. You want the caramel to begin boiling.

As it begins boiling it will start to rise and spit so make sure that you are using a deep pan and a long-handled spoon or spatula.

Stirring the caramel is so important at this stage, make sure you are stirring right to the bottom of the pot and regularly scrape around the sides too. If you don’t the caramel will catch and you will end up with brown specks in the caramel.

If this happens, don’t worry the caramel isn’t ruined and it will still taste perfectly fine. The caramel needs to boil for around 4-6 minutes. You will start to see the caramel thicken and pull in from the sides.

It should be quite runny in the beginning and by the time it is ready should be thick and gloopy.

Cooling the Caramel

Pour the caramel into your tin on top of the shortbread base. The shortbread base doesn’t need to be completely cooled by the time you add the caramel.

The millionaire shortbread now needs to be cooled in the fridge until the caramel has set and cooled fully.

Chocolate Topping

I went with a milk chocolate topping; this is probably the easiest part of the entire bake. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl in the microwave. I always do this on 20-second bursts stirring in between each burst.

This way I have more control over how hot the chocolate gets. If the chocolate gets too hot it will seize and you won’t be able to use it.

Also, ensure that the bowl you are using is completely dry. If your chocolate comes into contact with any water, this will also cause it to seize.

Once it is completely melted, pour over the top of your caramel and sprinkle over some Maltesers.

Portioning your Malteser Millionaire Shortbread

If you struggle with cutting millionaire shortbread a tip is to let it set in a cool dry spot in the kitchen. It will obviously take longer to set but the chocolate will set a lot softer this way compared with setting it in the fridge.

I always portion my millionaire shortbread into 16 individual portions. If you are wanting bigger slices, you can cut them into 12 or 9 if you prefer.

Alternatives

If you don’t want to add the malt powder to the shortbread base just replace it with plain flour.

Equipment

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