There is not much to say about my second Great British Bake Off inspired creation as it pretty much speaks for itself. Millionaire’s Shortbread is pretty much a classic and as much as I love it I decided to tinker with it a tiny bit. Tablespoon of peanut butter here and there, sprinkling of some salted peanuts, et voilà, Salted Peanuts & Peanut Butter Millionaire’s Shortbread!
I decided to be really careful with peanut butter cause as much as I love it, I still wanted to keep the essence of the caramel flavour itself. I think my attempt worked really well and you get enough salty deliciousness from peanut butter and peanuts but also some lovely caramel sweetness. Not to mention hint of vanilla coming through from the shortbread as I used my favourite of late, vanilla sugar. I’ve written about Vanilla Sugar How-To! here
I must admit I have cheated a bit with my caramel and went for the version that uses condensed milk but I do prefer it like that. Do not expect to achieve the same colour as you would if you were to make it the traditional way. When it comes to doneness look for thickening consistency and not the colour to guide you.
As a final touch I decided to add a handful of salted peanuts sprinkled over the caramel for a bit of unexpected crunch! And…bit more peanut butter to the chocolate topping itself to create pretty swirls I was quite happy with (little things). 😉
Finally, onto the recipe itself!
Salted Peanuts & Peanut Butter Millionaire's Shortbread
Ingredients
Shortbread
- 175 g plain flour
- 125 g unsalted butter cold
- 50 g vanilla sugar or caster sugar
Caramel
- 150 g unsalted butter
- 150 g light brown sugar
- 397 g tin condensed milk
- 1 generous tbsp peanut butter
- 50 g salted roasted peanuts
Chocolate topping
- 100 g milk chocolate
- 100 g dark chocolate
- 1 generous tbsp peanut butter
Square baking tin approx 23x23cm or equivalent
Instructions
- Put flour, sugar and butter into food processor and mix until you start getting sand/crumbs like consistency. Mix for a bit longer until it starts to look more like a dough. You can also do it by hand if you prefer rubbing cold butter together with mixed flour and sugar.
- Tip the mixture onto baking tray lined with greaseproof paper and press the dough with your fingers until it covers the bottom of the pan.
- Bake in 180C for approx. 25min, until light golden. Leave to cool slightly
- Put sugar and butter in a saucepan and heat up gently until dissolved.
- Add condensed milk and peanut butter and mix well.
- Bring mixture to boil and keep stirring for about 10 minutes until it thickens and darkens slightly in colour (this caramel will be much lighter though).
- Pour caramel over cooled shortbread and sprinkle over salted peanuts. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Melt chocolate gently in a bowl set over the pan of simmering water until shiny and smooth and pour it over the caramel layer, smoothing out gently with a spoon.
- Heat the peanut butter in a microwave until runny and drizzle over the chocolate. Swirl together with a toothpick to get pretty, marbled effect!
- Chill in the fridge for at least couple of hours or until firm.
- Cut into 16 squares or as per your tin and enjoy!
If you like this recipe, take a look at some of my other favourites this Autumn Italian Plum & Almond Cake with Amaretti Crunch and Best Buttery Apple Pie with a Twist
Pin For Later!
I’m linking my Salted Peanuts & Peanut Butter Millionaire’s Shortbread with the following pages:
Cook Blog Share hosted this week by Kirsty at Hijacked By Twins and by Jacqui at Recipes Made Easy
Brilliant Blog Posts hosted by Vicki at Honest Mum Blog
Great British Bake Off Bloggers 2017 hosted by Jenny over at Mummy Mishaps.
Treat Petite hosted by Kat over at Baking Explorer.
We Should Cocoa hosted by Choclette over at Tin and Thyme.
Kirsty Hijacked By Twins says
WOW! This is pure perfection! It sounds like a mixture between a Millionaires shortbread and a Snicker bar. Yes please, I’ll have a huge chunk! Thank you for sharing with #CookBlogShare x
joskitchenlarder says
Thanks Kirsty! I never thought about it like this but I think you are spot on! 🙂 x
Kat (The Baking Explorer) says
This sounds amazing! I need to make this! Thanks for linking up to #TreatPetite
Angela / Only Crumbs Remain says
Wow wow wow! They look sooo amazingly yummy Jo, and I love that you used vanilla sugar in the mix too! I’ll have a slice, no make that two, to go please 😀 Thankyou so much for joining in with #BakingCrumbs Jo.
Angela x
joskitchenlarder says
Thanks Angela, it’s a pleasure! ? I absolutely love my vanilla sugar lol as it is so subtle but definitely makes a difference in flavour. x
Jenny Paulin says
oh my ! these look sooooo delicious! peanut butter and peanuts are a popular flavour for millionaires shortbread. I really like your marbling on the chocolate. so pretty. I would happily dig in and try one or two!±
thank you for linking to #GBBOBloggers2017 x
joskitchenlarder says
Thank you! 🙂 These turned out to be such a hit and I would be tempted to make them again and again if only I had a willpower and could stick to a single square, perhaps every other day lol (like that’s going to happen). x
jenny walters says
Oh Jo,this bake is one of my faves.The addition of peanut butter is something I haven’t tried but sounds incredible. i love the blinkin stuff!Gorgeous!
joskitchenlarder says
Thanks Jenny! 🙂 I love peanut butter too, way too much! It really works nicely here and it is subtle enough at the same time. It’s salty peanuts though what makes it for me here, absolutely delicious together with sweet caramel! x
choclette says
Oh my lord, this looks so good. The peanut butter sounds like a brilliant addition as I usually find MSB a bit on the sweet side. Thanks for sharing with #WeShouldCocoa.
joskitchenlarder says
Thank you! Lovely to be back! I know what you mean hence salted peanuts and peanut butter which mellowed the sweetness nicely without going full on salted caramel.
Rebecca Beesley says
i adore your swirly swirly pattern and what a lovey thick layer of caramel – gorgeous! #gbbobloggers2017
joskitchenlarder says
Thank you! 🙂 The caramel turned out really lovely and I like how peanut butter cuts through all the sweetness too! x
Cat says
Your recipe uses similar flavours to the one I did, I’m glad I’m not the only person who saw the need to add peanut butter to it! These look really delicious and I love the marbling on the top x
joskitchenlarder says
Thanks Cat! Peanut butter works so well here doesn’t it? Briefly saw yours and they look oh so pretty being individual ones! My cutting skills have lots to be desired lol and if there is a secret to cutting millionaire’s shortbread neatly I would love to know it! x
Louise Fairweather says
I love the marbling! I had wanted to make a peanut one but can you believe Tescos had run out of peanuts! I would love this millionaire’s shortbread.
joskitchenlarder says
Thanks Louise! I was quite pleased with the marbling and the fact that it is so easy to do! That’s the first time I went peanut butter and peanuts route and we all love it. x