Caramel Slice — caramel slice / millionaire's shortbread
Caramel slice (also called millionaire's shortbread) is a layered American-Australian dessert: a shortbread base topped with a thick chewy caramel and a layer of dark chocolate. The contrast between the three layers is the whole point.
i. Origin & history
Caramel slice / millionaire's shortbread appears in mid-20th-century cookbooks across both the US and Britain/Australia. The Australian version is particularly canonical; the dish is sold in every Australian café.
ii. Ingredients
Makes 24 servings · scroll the side panel to adjust
- 250 g plain flour
- 60 g sugar
- Pinch salt
- 175 g unsalted butter, cold
- 150 g unsalted butter
- 100 g muscovado sugar
- 400 g sweetened condensed milk
- 2 tbsp golden syrup
- Pinch salt
- 300 g dark chocolate
- 30 g unsalted butter
iii. Method
- Make shortbread: rub butter into flour, sugar, salt; press into a 22 × 30 cm lined tin. Bake at 170 °C for 18-22 min until pale gold. Cool.
- Make caramel: combine butter, sugar, condensed milk, golden syrup and salt. Stir over low heat 12-15 min until thick and deep amber. Pour over shortbread; cool 30 min.
- Melt chocolate with butter; pour over caramel; chill.
- Cut into squares once chocolate is set.
iv. Tips & common mistakes
- Use the freshest ingredients you can. The recipe relies on them.
- Read the method through first. Several steps must be ready in advance.
- Season patiently. Sweetness and salt are tuned at the end, not the start.
v. Variations
Salted caramel slice adds fleur de sel. Walnut caramel slice adds walnuts. White chocolate top is a variant.
vi. Common questions
What is caramel slice?
Caramel Slice is caramel slice / millionaire's shortbread, from north american cuisine. The contrast between the three layers is the whole point
Where is caramel slice from?
Caramel Slice is from the north american dessert tradition; the recipe and history are detailed above.
How long does caramel slice keep?
See the storage note in the Quick facts panel: 1 week at room temperature.