Spoonfeeding Casanova: Millionaire's Shortbread ("Billionaire" Style)

Have you had the most delicious shortbread in the world? Here's the recipe! Millionaire's shortbread is a popular British treat, and this recipe is adapted from Jennifer Yee's "Billionaire's Shortbread" featured in Food and Wine. In short, it's more decadent than the classic millionaire's shortbread with amber caramel, a rich dark chocolate ganache, and a sea salt topping.

This recipe is more than a little time intensive, so make sure you have several hours to spare if you're going to make it. No doubt, it's worth it. You'll end up with one of the most deliciously rich shortbread confections you've ever tasted. Since it's topped with a thick layer of ganache, it's gotta be served chilled and stored in the refrigerator (don't take it to a picnic).

Do you know the Cleveland bank Rocket from the Tombs? I discovered them on CD in college and found the same collection on vinyl at Normal's in Baltimore a year or two ago. (Rocket from the Tombs was a very short-lived but amazing punk band.) If you don't know them, you should. Here's "So Cold" from a "posthumous," if you will, collection of live and demo recordings from 1974-75 on The Day the Earth Met the Rocket from the Tombs.

Ingredients:
*Adapted from Jennifer Yee's Billionaire's Shortbread
Shortbread:
--1 stick unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
--3/4 c. all-purpose flour
--1/4 c. corn flour
--1/3 c. granulated sugar
--pinch of salt

Caramel:
--1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
--2 tbsp. unsalted butter
--1/2 c. heavy cream
--pinch of salt

Chocolate Ganache:
--16 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
--3/4 c. heavy cream
--1 tsp. vanilla
--coarsely ground sea salt (for topping)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Make the shortbread first. Combine butter, flour, corn flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor. Pulse until a dough forms. Now line an 8" square baking pan with aluminum foil so that the foil comes up over the edges (take two sheets of foil and cross them in the pan). Then line the bottom with a square of parchment paper. Press the shortbread dough into the pan with the palm of your hand and smooth it until it's even. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or just until the edges are slightly golden. The dough will still be slightly soft when it's done. Don't overcook it! Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Now make the caramel. Jennifer Yee makes a wet caramel, but I prefer to make a dry one. Dry caramels (or those made with *just* sugar and no water) are a darker amber color, and I think they go really nicely with dark chocolate and sea salt.

In a medium saucepan, add 1 1/2 c. sugar over medium heat (on the lower side of medium). Let the sugar sit until it begins to caramelize. Don't mix it. Instead, using a spatula, just continue pushing the edges of the sugar down into the pan. You'll see the sugar begin to caramelize and turn an amber color. Fight the urge to mix it! The rest of the sugar will incorporate and caramelize, too. But watch it very closely--once all he sugar has incorporated, it's done--don't let it burn. Turn the heat to low and add 2 tbsp. unsalted butter. Swirl in the butter until it has melted. Now add the heavy cream (be careful when doing this--it splashes) and mix continuously for about 3-4 minutes, or just until you've have a beautifully textured caramel. Swirl in the pinch of salt and remove from heat.

Immediately pour over the chilled shortbread and place in the refrigerator to cool down for about an hour.

Finally, make the chocolate ganache! Place 16 oz. chopped dark chocolate in a medium-sized bowl. In a small saucepan, heat 3/4 c. heavy cream over low-medium heat until it reaches a simmer. Pour over the chocolate and add 1 tsp. vanilla. Let it sit until the chocolate melts almost completely. Then stir until you have a smooth, creamy ganache. Pour over the shortbread/caramel and smooth with a spatula. Top with some coarsely ground sea salt. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1-2 hours.