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Darius' Millionaire's Shortbread

Millionaire’s Shortbread

This millionaire’s shortbread swaps out traditional flour for pea flour, giving it a slightly nutty flavour while keeping the signature buttery, caramel, and chocolatey layers. Entered into the Plant S Nutrition Young Development Chef of the Year competition by Darius Roberts, this recipe is a delicious, protein-packed twist on a classic treat.

Time to Make: 2.5 hours

Servings: 2

Ingredients

For the Shortbread Base:

  • 150g Plant S Yellow Pea Flour
  • 50g cornflour
  • 100g unsalted butter, softened
  • 50g caster sugar
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract (optional)
  • Pinch of salt

For the Caramel Layer:

  • 200g condensed milk (half a tin)
  • 100g soft light brown sugar
  • 100g unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp golden syrup
  • ½ tsp sea salt (optional, for salted caramel)

For the Chocolate Topping:

  • 200g dark chocolate (or milk chocolate if preferred)
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil or butter (for a glossy finish)

Method

Prepare the Shortbread Base

  1. Preheat your oven to 160°C fan. Grease and line a 20cm (8-inch) square baking tin with parchment paper.
  2. In a bowl, cream together the butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy.
  3. Sift in the pea flour, cornflour, and salt, mixing until the dough just comes together. If it’s crumbly, add a teaspoon of water to bind it.
  4. Press the dough evenly into the prepared tin, smoothing the surface with the back of a spoon or your hands.
  5. Prick the base with a fork and bake for 12–15 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and let it cool completely.

Make the Caramel Layer

  1. In a saucepan, combine the condensed milk, brown sugar, butter, and golden syrup.
  2. Heat over medium-low, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture thickens. This should take about 8–10 minutes.
  3. If making salted caramel, stir in the sea salt at the end.
  4. Pour the caramel evenly over the cooled shortbread base. Spread it out with a spatula and let it set at room temperature for 30 minutes, or until firm.

Prepare the Chocolate Topping

  1. Melt the dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water (or in short bursts in the microwave).
  2. Stir in the coconut oil or butter for a glossy finish.
  3. Pour the melted chocolate over the set caramel layer, tilting the tin to spread it evenly. Use a spatula to smooth if needed.

Set and Serve

  1. Leave the shortbread at room temperature for 15 minutes, then chill in the fridge for 1–2 hours until the chocolate is fully set.
  2. Once firm, slice into squares and enjoy!