Sunday 18th November
One placement down! And now back to lectures
I am kinda glad that I have finished this placement, as whilst it was fun and interesting at times, there were a lot of times when I didn’t have much to do. And I did moan about it to my flatmate, but, she put up with it because I gave her brownies and millionaire’s shortbread.
Finishing placement also means that I don’t have to be up at 6am anymore so it’s a win for me! Honestly getting to placement for 7:30 every day killed me a little but it’s all done with and I can go back to getting up after 8 for a 9am.
However, because placement has left me exhausted (I did have busy days, not every day was quiet), I haven’t been blogging as much. On the other hand I have been doing a lot of planning and experimenting so watch out for some of those which will be coming to the blog over the next few months.
One of the things I did test out, and eat a lot of was this millionaire’s shortbread. It was so good and went down really well with the flat. Well it went down exceedingly well with one of them as it was her idea really. I asked her what to make as I was having a bit of an idea funk and she replied millionaire’s shortbread.
The conversation went like this:
Me: Hmmm, I feel like baking, but I don’t know what to make. Any ideas?
Flatmate: Millionaire’s shortbread
Me: Okay then
Flatmate: Really? You’ll actually make it?
Me: Of course
So apart from it being very easy to convince me to make things, my flatmate was very happy as this is one of her favourite things to eat. So that was a very good day for both of us.
The recipe for the shortbread is actually really good just by itself and I could totally just sit there and eat a whole batch of it by itself. I love shortbread anyway but still, this is super good, although not quite as good as my Nana’s but I don’t think anything ever is. Even when I try to make her recipes I never quite get it right. Must just be her magic, but this is a very close second.
I’m now actually craving some shortbread, the struggles when you’re on a train with no shortbread. Sad times for me ☹
The caramel is actually my Salted Caramel Sauce recipe but without the salt, which can be found here. You can make this even easier and buy some caramel, however this is actually quite a simple thing to make, even if it does get very hot (and sugar burns are nasty so be careful, I have had too many burns from doing stupid things in the kitchen).
If you are making the caramel from scratch, make it first and then let it cool whilst you make the shortbread but making the caramel is completely worth it as I feel like it tastes better. Oh, and you can totally show off your baking skills if you make it yourself, just be careful as the sugar gets very hot. And it hurts. Trust me. Too many stupid kitchen accidents.
Finally, I think that the marbling of the chocolate makes the shortbread look so much cooler and its definitely the best part of this, apart from eating it at the end. The marbling isn’t compulsory but it’s just a fun little extra to jazz it up a little more.
Have a good week and don’t forget to tag your pictures with #sarahjaneskitchen on all social media for me to see it!
Makes 16 small squares
Ingredients:
190g Unsalted Butter
80g Caster Sugar
270g Plain Flour
1Tbsp Milk
300g Caramel (from my Salted Caramel recipe)
200g Milk Chocolate
80g White Chocolate
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 170°C Fan/Gas Mark 4
- Beat the sugar and the butter together until light and smooth
- Sift and stir the flour into the creamed butter and sugar, until it comes together in clumps. Add in the milk to help to combine the shortbread mixture together.
- Press the mixture into a parchment-lined tin, trying to make sure that it is roughly equal in thickness.
- Chill the dough in the freezer for 10 minutes before baking for 25-30 minutes, until it is lightly golden around the edges.
- Once the shortbread has cooled slightly, but keeping it in the tin, pour the caramel on top, smoothing it to the edges with a spoon or a palate knife. Chill in the freezer for 10-15 minutes.
- Whilst the caramel-covered shortbread is in the freezer, melt both the white and milk chocolate either in a bowl over simmering water, or in the microwave. Melt the chocolate slowly, and making sure it doesn’t get too hot (otherwise it will go grainy when the chocolate cools again).
- After 15 minutes, remove the shortbread from the freezer and top with the melted milk chocolate, ensuring that the chocolate completely covers the top of the caramel. Spoon the white chocolate onto the milk chocolate and using a skewer or a knife, swirl the white chocolate into the milk chocolate.
- Set the chocolate in the fridge for 30 minutes, before cutting into small squares
These will keep for up to 5 days in an airtight container