Apple pie millionaire’s caramel shortbread
Let me share with you my new variation on a classic Scottish millionaire's caramel shortbread. This recipe is great to make during and apple season and will not disappoint - apple pie millionaire's caramel shortbread with walnuts.
I shared recipe for No-bake Scottish millionaire's caramel slice and baked version of Scottish millionaire's caramel shortbread some time ago and all my readers love it. The difference between these two recipes is the base. No-bake version has a base made with biscuits and butter. This second version has baked shortbread as a base. Let me know in the comments which recipe do you prefer.
So this new recipe is baked and the difference is the caramel and spices, hope you will enjoy it. Please read all the tips below for the best results.
How to make apple pie millionaire's caramel shortbread
The most time consuming part of this recipe will be making apple pie caramel, therefore I recommend making it a day or 2 in advance.
First make a shortbread layer by mixing butter, sugar, cinnamon, rice flour and AP flour until dough formed. Then spread the dough in a square baking tin and bake for 30 min in a pre-heated oven. Once ready, remove baking tray from your oven and let it cool.
Apple caramel layer: When making apple caramel layer, make sure you have all the ingredients ready. This caramel is based on condensed milk so it is not very technical, but you need to remember few things:
- Cook caramel on a medium heat and then after 10 minutes on a low heat.
- You have to stir caramel constantly, otherwise it will burn. The best utensil to use for stirring is a spatula with a square finish. It will reach the bottom of the pot perfectly and prevent burning.
- Use bigger pot for making caramel. The ingredients will bubble a lot.
- Making caramel takes time as sugar needs to come to a high temperature to thicken. It should reach a soft ball stage , which is 112-116C (235 -240F). I recommend investing in a good kitchen thermometer. If you do not have a thermometer, you have to watch your caramel. When caramel thickens, the bubbles will become bigger. You will notice that it will start to coat your spatula. This is the sign that caramel is ready. It usually takes me 15 minutes to make this caramel. Please notice that if you cook your caramel too long, it will become hard.
- I received a comment from one of my readers that caramel did not set. The main reason for caramel not setting is that it was not cooked long enough for mixture to thicken. I can not highlight this enough - cook your caramel for at least 15 minutes until it thickens.
- I used a square baking tin 20cm x 20 cm (8x8 inches) for this recipe.
- Add homemade apple pie spice mix nearly at the end of making apple caramel so spices do not burn. If you burn spices they will become bitter.
- When you are cooking apples, make sure you peel them.
- Cooking apples separately and then adding it to the caramel is a necessary step and will create the desired results.
- If you are using Bramley apples, it may take longer to reduce the apples as these apples 'expand' a lot while cookies. No idea what what other word I can use here. If you know, please leave a comment below.
- Toasting walnuts will help to release the flavour, do not omit this step.
- You can prepare reduced apples and caramel in advance if you wish and store them in fridge.
Chocolate layer: In fact this is a chocolate ganache layer. I think that this wonderful Apple pie millionaire's caramel shortbread tastes better when it has a softer chocolate bite. The only thing you have to do is to warm up cream and mix it with a finely chopped chocolate until smooth and glossy.
Now, the last task is to pour apple caramel on the shortbread layer and then add chocolate ganache. Of course, you should let your apple caramel cool down before pouring it in into the baking tin.
When chocolate ganache cools down, place the dessert in a fridge. It needs time to set. I would recommend at least 5 hours, ideally overnight.
What does apple pie millionaire's caramel shortbread taste like?
This dessert tastes wonderful The shortbread layer is crumbly and soft with a warm hint of cinnamon. The apple caramel layer is rich, gooey, indulgent and the addition of reduced apples and homemade apple pie spice makes it taste like an actual apple pie. The chocolate ganache is irresistibly smooth and creamy and the addition of toasted walnuts adds extra crunch.
How to store apple pie millionaire's caramel shortbread
Store it in the fridge for up to a week. in an-air tight container. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months.
If you are looking for more shortbread-like recipes, I can recommend you the following:
Millionaire's caramel gingerbread
Scottish millionaire's caramel shortbread
No-bake Scottish millionaire's caramel slice
Click this link if you want to see all my shortbread-like recipes
I hope you will make my recipe and if you do, please leave a comment below and let me know your feedback. You can also find me on social media such as Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Gab and Gettr. Please say hi and do not forget to tag me in if you make my recipe. I love seeing your creations.
Recipe source –my own
Cheers!
Indulgent, rich and mouth-watering apple pie millionaire's caramel shortbread is a kind of dessert you will never stop making. Two the best desserts combined in one.
- 250 g AP flour
- 200 g butter (room temperature, salted or unsalted, if you are using unsalted butter add 1/4 tsp of a table salt)
- 30 g rice flour (if you do not have rice flour, you can grind white rice until it turns into a powder, rice flour makes shortbread nice and crumbly)
- 100 g caster sugar (you can also use white granulated sugar, I used caster as it dissolves quicker)
- 1 tsp cinnamon (powder)
- 100 ml double cream
- 397 g condensed milk (one can)
- 150 g brown sugar (soft, dark)
- 150 g butter (salted or unsalted, if you are using unsalted butter add 1/4 tsp of a table salt)
- 500 g apples (2 large apples, peeled and cores removed)
- 100 ml water
- 2 tbsp apple pie spice (from this recipe https://kitchenbyannak.com/recipe/homemade-apple-pie-spice/)
- 300 g milk chocolate (finely chopped)
- 100 ml double cream
- sea salt (to sprinkle on top (optional))
- 50 g walnuts (toasted and chopped)
Prepare a cake tin 20cm x 20cm (8in x 8in). Grease it and line it with baking paper.
In a medium bowl cream butter for 2 minutes then add sugar, cinnamon, rice flour and AP flour.
Mix the dough until it all comes together.
Spoon the dough into the baking tin, spread it and press evenly.
Preheat your oven to 170C (340F) fan and bake shortbread for about 30 minutes.
When shortbread is ready, remove it from your oven and let it cool.
Add all the ingredients into a medium size pot and using a square spatula, mix all the ingredients well. Cook it on a medium flame. Stir constantly making sure that you reach edges of the pot as well to avoid burning.
You should be stirring for about 15-20 minutes min until the mixture starts to thicken. Please be aware that caramel is VERY hot and under no condition you should taste it while it is hot! It needs a lot of time to cool down. Caramel will get thicker and you will notice that bubbles will get bigger as well. You should be aiming to cook your caramel to a soft ball stage 112C - 116C degrees. Please remember if you cook your caramel for too long it will get hard.
Peel and core apples and cut them into small chunks. Place chopped apples in a medium pot.
Add water and mix. Cook apples until they become soft, for about 20 minutes. Stir apples from time to time.
When apples are soft, blend them using an immersion blender into a smooth mixture.
Keep cooking apple puree until it becomes very thick and water evaporates.
Add apple puree to caramel and mix. Keep cooking the mixture until it thickens. Apples should nicely dissolve in caramel. It will take about 20 minutes. Keep stirring so the mixture does not burn.
After 15 minutes add 2 tablespoons of apple pie spice and mix.
Apple caramel mixture is ready when it reaches 112C - 115C (235F-240F).
Let apple caramel cool for 30 minutes and then pour it on shortbread.
Chop chocolate into fine pieces and transfer it to a medium bowl.
In a small pot heat up the cream until it is just about to boil. Do not boil! Pour it over chopped chocolate. Stir very thoroughly. In this step you need to stir, stir, stir and be patient as you do not want to end up with lumps.
When chocolate is ready, let it cool for 10 minutes and then pour it over cooled caramel and spread all over. Add chopped walnuts on top.
Let it cool at room temperature and transfer the tin to the fridge for at least 5 hours, ideally overnight.
When cooled enough, remove from the tin and cut as you wish.