Millionaires' Shortbread

Rich buttery layers of crumbly shortbread, sticky caramel and chocolate - these little treats really hit the jackpot!
Ingredients
Serves: 16

You will also need...

20cm brownie tin, lined with baking parchment

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  • 20 mins
    total prep time

    5 mins
    ready to serve in

65 I've made it

Each shortbread typically contains

  • Calories 378 19%
  • Sugars 32.5g 36%
  • Fat 21.3g 30%
  • Saturates 11.9g 60%
  • Salt 0.45g 8%

of an adult's guideline daily amount*
* GDAa are guidelines. Personal requirements vary depending on age, gender, weight and activity levels.

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  1. 1. Combine the crushed biscuits and the melted butter, press into the tin. Chill for 20 mins.
  2. 2. Heat the sugar and remaining butter in a non-stick pan gently, stirring, until melted. Add the Carnation condensed milk and bring to a rapid boil, stirring continuously. Cook for a minute or so or until the filling has thickened. Pour the caramel over the base. Cool, then chill until set.
  3. 3. Melt the chocolate in separate bowls. Pour the dark chocolate over the caramel and then add spoonfuls of the melted Milkybar. Swirl together with a spoon for a marbled effect.
  4. 4. Chill until set. Remove from the tin and cut into squares – dip your knife in hot water (then dry on kitchen towel) to make it easier to cut through the chocolate.
  5. Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks!

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Discussion Board

  • Pam
    May 30, 2013
    Hello
    I have just discovered your website and think it's brilliant.
    I have been making this since 1964 with your original recipe using homemade shortbread as the base. I have added sultanas to the caramel.chopped glace cherries. chopped dried apricots and many others also flaked almonds or chopped nuts to the chocolate top. Anything goes, really so even more yummy. Than you Nestle

    Carnation says:
    Hi Pamela, WOW that recipe has really stood the test of time! How fab and your ideas sound delicious! Thanks for sharing! :D
  • BakingQueen
    May 30, 2013
    I made this and didn't know what temperature i needed to get the carnation condensed milk and other ingredients to and sooo my caramel was so hard like toffee.... what temp would you recommend ( as i have a sugar thermometer) ? Thanks

    Carnation says:
    Hi Elizabeth, for this recipe you just need to bring the mixture up to boiling and as soon as it is it should be hot enough. If you have plenty of boiling bubbles coming up then take it off the heat. We don't normally recommend a specific temperature but it would be about 112C.
  • Lulu93
    May 23, 2013
    Hiya, how would I adapt this recipe for a 23cm brownie tin?

    Carnation says:
    Hi Louise, you could just have a slightly flatter version and just use the recipe as it is. If you like a thicker biscuit base though - do one and a half times the base and then use the rest of the quantities the same and this should work fine! Happy baking!
  • fiona
    May 19, 2013
    As part of world bakkng day I made this for the first time. It is absolutely fantastic and quite easy if you folow the recipe. Its gooy and very luscious
  • delicious bakes
    May 17, 2013
    Hi
    I made this using a different base as a gluten free option and it was delicious. Going to make some to take away on holiday with all the family with just white chocolate on. Mmmm

    Carnation says:
    Hi Karen, mmm sounds delish! Lucky family :)
  • Tate
    May 10, 2013
    I've made these a few times and they are just fabulous, go down a treat!
  • Keithvis
    April 17, 2013
    Can the filling i.e. the milk, butter, sugar mix be frozen?

    Carnation says:
    Hi Keith, yes in fact if you want to you can freeze a completed batch of millionaires shortbread with the chocolate top! Keeps for about a month.
  • shirley
    April 17, 2013
    can you use carnation carmel instead of carnation condensed milk for the millionaires shortbread thanks

    Carnation says:
    Hi Shirley, our caramel is the perfect soft texture for banoffee pie and we find that between the harder layers of chocolate and biscuits the caramel gets a bit messy to eat! So its up to you! We like to use the condensed milk as it makes it easier to cut and eat! :)
  • cakeOlicious
    April 13, 2013
    I make these every time theres a special event as its so easy and literally takes less than 20 minutes to make. Also the pudcasts make it a whole lot easier, love the carnation website!
  • Pixiechef
    April 09, 2013
    made these today and the are scrummy, easy to make, caramel was a bit soft but still tasted fab.
  • mawleeee
    April 03, 2013
    i used chocolate digestive biscuits instead of shortbread biscuits and it turned out much more yummier than i had expected!

    Carnation says:
    Hi Mawl, what a lovely twist! : )
  • MTM111
    March 26, 2013
    i've made it but there is something wrong in it the caramel it not thick at all it still sooooo soft and the chocolate it's to hard eat it can u pleeez help me pleeez

    Carnation says:
    Hi Mohammad, if the caramel is not thick then you will need to boil it for a little longer - test it by dropping a little into cold water - it should form a soft ball. If the chocolate is too hard - try a mixture of milk and dark chocolate or add 1tsp vegetable oil into the melted chocolate before spreading. Score the top before the chocolate sets hard and use a hot knife to cut it!
  • Lol<3
    March 16, 2013
    Loveeee this recipe so so much made it many many times , never gets oldd amazing ,,, thankyou carnation xxxxxx
  • Ryan_Johnston
    March 10, 2013
    Is there a way to download these to my phone for future reference without needing to go online again
  • Clarky's wife
    March 03, 2013
    I made this with light brown sugar and milk chocolate. It's very yummy
  • chripss
    February 26, 2013
    can i just use sugar for the caramel

    Carnation says:
    Hi Chris, if you use just sugar it will set to a hard caramel which will be very brittle. The condensed milk will give you a lovely chewy, smooth and creamy caramel layer which is just divine!
  • yankeesfanuk1982
    February 21, 2013
    is it possible to make a Gluten free version of this recipe?

    Carnation says:
    Hi Clare, yes it is - look out for gluten free shortbread or other biscuits and replace these weight for weight in the recipe. These can be found in larger supermarkets and health food shops. Add enough melted butter to the crushed biscuits so that the mixture feels like slightly wet sand. You may need a little more than for normal shortbread biscuits. Happy Baking!
  • Cat
    February 18, 2013
    I have used your tinned caramel but it won't set! been in fridge for over an hour now and still no change. Help!!

    Carnation says:
    Hi Catherine, the caramel is too soft for this recipe - so we always recommend using condensed milk which makes a more chewy and dense caramel which can stand up against the hard chocolate and biscuit layers. How about breaking up your Carnation Caramel version and mixing it through ice cream for millionaires ice cream instead? Soften the ice cream first, beat through the millionaires bits then re-freeze for 2 hours.
  • lisa
    February 11, 2013
    would this work by creating a base using butter, floour and sugar and baking for 20 mins

    Carnation says:
    Hi Lisa, yes of course you can... We just like the ready made shortcut of using shortbread biscuits! Try using 175 plain flour,
    55g caster sugar and 115g unsalted butter, cut into small pieces. Whizz these ingredients together in a food processor until they form breadcrumbs then press firmly into the tin, chill for 20 minutes then bake for 25-30 minutes until just golden, then continue with the recipe.
  • mawleeee
    February 04, 2013
    im in the process of making this and ive had to use choc digestives, and milkchocolate.... heh is this bad?

    Carnation says:
    Hi Mawl, no it sounds like a lovely twist on the original recipe! Let us know how they turn out?!
  • Happy Chef
    January 24, 2013
    Just made this...going to taste it tomorrow! Can't wait :) Tried making this from another recipe last night and the crust was too crumbly and the toffee was hard as rock! But I think this one is a keeper! Used 200g digestives and 100g butter Thanks a lot!

    Carnation says:
    Hi Shauna! Yippee glad you enjoyed making it - wonder how many new friends you made with it?!
  • mawleeee
    January 19, 2013
    could i use the tinned caramel instead of the milk???

    Carnation says:
    Hi Mawl, we find the condensed milk version better as it sets more solidly and is easier to cut. Our caramel is softer and we think better for Banoffee!
  • danabudau
    January 04, 2013
    I made this cake once and will do it again because is delicious :X. Everybody loves it.
  • TracyF
    November 14, 2012
    Just made this didn't have enough shorbread biscuits so added some ameretti biscuits !

    Carnation says:
    Lovely idea Tracy!
  • maymoo
    October 30, 2012
    Have made this recipe soooo many times and have absolutely loved it the first time i made it my dad ate them all naughty naughty, anyways i have made it many a time as i was saying before and i take it to school and my teachers have asked for the recipe loads of times its a really good recipe thankyou so so so much for coming up with it!!!:) me an my mum are making it AGAIN right now for halloween tomorrow my friends all love it.

    Carnation says:
    Hi Maisie, you're very welcome! We love it too! :)
  • EvieMarmalade
    October 30, 2012
    Made this today but with some changes as I didn't have all the ingredients but wanted to use half a tin of condensed milk. Used digestive biscuits instead of shortbread and lightbrown sugar instead of dark brown, and halved all the ingredients. Lovely taste and so easy to make - base a little bit crumbly, but still delicious.
  • Cat
    October 24, 2012
    Just made this today and is going down a treat. I found that the chill time for mine was much longer than 20mins but is so worth it. I used ready to pour Caramel thinking set time would be much quicker but it's not the case :D Really loved doing it but eating is is heaven thank you! Next time I think I will put in the freezer for the 20mins and see if that's any better.
  • Faithy
    September 23, 2012
    Totally gutted made this exact to recipe used 400g of dairy milk chocolate so spent abit of money on this! and the base is just crumbles!!!!!! Not happy!!!! Will be making my own shortbread in future

    Carnation says:
    Hi Emma, oh dear sorry that it didn't work out for you : (- sometimes the butter content in the biscuits vary so this can make the base a little crumbly. Would you share your shortbread recipe with us?
  • Joyciem
    September 17, 2012
    When I made the toffee it was very soft and not really very caramel like in spite of cooking it for about 3 minutes.

    Carnation says:
    Hi Joyce, we like a soft creamy caramel but if you like it more chewy and solid then use half caster sugar and half brown sugar and boil for 5 minutes. This should make the caramel really thick!
  • Julie
    September 09, 2012
    This is delicious! If you have a sweet tooth this is the cake for you! I've made this 2wks in a row. Very easy to make and only lasts 3 days in our house! Love it!!
  • Annie
    August 26, 2012
    Made it twice now work colleagues loved it
  • TracyF
    August 18, 2012
    Just made it ready for friends to try tonight
  • EmLovesU
    August 15, 2012
    Do you have to heat it or can u put it in the microwave

    Carnation says:
    Hi Emily, for making the caramel the pan method is the best - it needs regular stirring and we wouldn't want your microwave to end up with sticky caramel bubbling over in it! Happy cooking!
  • SazMataz
    July 29, 2012
    I made this with carnation evaporated milk & it tasted a lot a lot better. everyone loved it, thank-you for the recipe!
  • Trix
    July 27, 2012
    can you use carmel carnation instead

    Carnation says:
    Hi Betty, we prefer using condensed milk in our millionaires as it makes a thicker caramel. Our Carnation Caramel is soft and creamy and is better for our gorgeous banoffee pie!
  • kittyfisher
    July 24, 2012
    I agree, there should be more butter in the base for this. I use 200g digestives and 100g butter.
  • Cookie
    July 19, 2012
    Just add more butter Jenny Wren, my grandchildren can't eat this quick enough!
  • Sherbert39
    June 14, 2012
    I always add a pinch, just a pinch of salt to the caramel - it is delicious. Every charity day and even if I just feel like making some (like last night), my work colleagues enjoy it immensly
  • jenny wren
    May 23, 2012
    55g(2oz) Is NOT enough melted butter to hold crushed biscuit crumbs together. I have tried this recipe twice and a lot of the base has remained in the tin!
    I would not recommend a substitute for butter in this recipe, as even a good quality alternative such as clover seems to separate when making the caramel.
    I wasted a lot of expensive ingredients.
    jenny wren

    Carnation says:
    Hi Jenny, we like a slightly crumbly base to our Millionaire's shortbread and if you add a lot of butter it can be more difficult to cut. However if you want the base to be more solid you can add 85g (3oz) butter if you prefer. Watch out as some shortbread can be very buttery so perhaps add the butter a little at a time. We also agree that butter substitutes are not a good option for the caramel :)