Liam’s Salted Peanut Millionaire Shortbread

For the shortbread base:

For the peanuts:

For the peanut butter:

For the salted caramel:

For the chocolate topping:

Equipment:

Food processor
10 or 12 bar (each about 3cm x 7cm) oven-proof, silicone, rectangular mold tray (suitable for food)
Baking sheet
Sugar thermometer
pastry bag and wide tip
double boiler (or microwave oven)

Make the shortbread:

Put the plain flour, rice flour, salt and sugar into the food processor bowl and ‘pulse’ a few times until combined. Add the butter and vanilla paste and blitz until the mixture just comes together. Turn out onto a large sheet of baking paper and gently knead into a ball.
Shape the dough into a brick, place another sheet of baking paper on top and roll the dough into a rectangle 1cm thick and at least the size of your rectangular mold. Using a large, sharp knife and a ruler, cut neat bar shapes and gently press them into the base of the molds (use any leftovers to make shortbread biscuits)
Prick each bar a couple of times with a fork, then place the tray on a baking sheet (to keep it stable) and chill for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/350°F/Gas 4.
When they have been chilled, bake the bars for about 14-16 minutes until just changing color with slightly golden edges. Meanwhile, tip the peanuts into a heatproof dish and dry-roast in the oven (on the shelf below the bars) for about 10-12 minutes, until golden. Remove the shortbread from the oven, place the tray onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely.

Make the peanut butter:

Place 50g of the (cooled) roasted peanuts in the food processor bowl and chop roughly, then transfer to a small dish and set aside.
Put the rest of the nuts into the food processor bowl with the salt, honey and oil and blitz to a fine, thick paste. Remove from the bowl and set aside.

Make the caramel:

Very slowly heat the cream and vanilla until almost boiling. Meanwhile, warm a medium-sized, heavy-based, deep pan; add the corn syrup and 60g of the sugar and heat gently until melted and a light straw color – carefully swirl and tilt the pan fairly frequently so the mixture melts evenly.
Add the rest of the sugar and keep over a medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has completely dissolved and is a rich amber color. This will take anywhere from 5-25 minutes (depending on the pan).
Remove the pan from the heat, cover your hand with an oven glove, and very carefully add the heated cream. CAUTION: The mixture will suddenly bubble up and sputter, and will burn if it contacts your skin. Return the pan to a low heat and stir constantly until the mixture is melted and smooth.
Remove from the heat and gradually stir in the butter. When thoroughly combined, add 2 tablespoons of the peanut butter and chopped peanut. Mix very thoroughly. Taste and add more salt if necessary. Using a pastry bag and wide tip, pipe about a rounded tablespoon of the peanut caramel on top of each shortbread bar in the mold and spread evenly. Leave to set in the fridge.

Temper the chocolate:

Finely chop the chocolate then put 165g into a heatproof bowl. Very gently melt in the microwave (in 10-second bursts) or over a pan of steaming hot (but not boiling) water – don’t let the base of the bowl touch the pan. Stir the chocolate occasionally so it heats evenly then remove the bowl as soon as the chocolate reaches 45°C on the sugar thermometer. Add the remaining chocolate and stir in until completely melted – this quickly lowers the temperature and ‘tempers’ the chocolate, giving a glossy rather than matte finish.
Pour the melted chocolate over the caramel-topped shortbread bars. Spread it out with a small off-set palette knife to give a neat, smooth and even finish. Carefully remove any excess chocolate that has spilled over the edges of the bar molds. Chill for about 1 hour until firm, then gently push and ‘pop’ out of the molds. Arrange on a serving plate – without touching the chocolate tops.