Caramel quinoa shortbread recipe

Quinoa can be used in sweet treats too! Try this Caramel quinoa shortbread recipe for size. 

This is an unusual twist on a school time favourite millionaires’ shortbread.  The combination of the soft base, very oozy caramel middle and crunchy chocolate topping is to die for! Toasting the flour beforehand is well worth the effort for the extra flavour.

Ingredients

Serves 6-8

For the shortbread:

125g plain flour

100g quinoa flour

½ tsp salt

175g butter

75g caster sugar

For the topping:

150g butter

1 x 397g can condensed milk

100g golden syrup

200g dark chocolate, or a mixture of dark and milk, chopped into small pieces

Method

Toast the quinoa flour in a large cast iron pan. Stirring frequently until golden (roughly 15-20 minutes). Repeat with flour. Remove from the heat and sieve into a bowl. Set aside to cool. Once cooled add salt.

Preheat the oven to 150C. Grease and line a square cake tin 23cm (9inch).

To make the shortbread, mix the flours and caster sugar in a bowl. Rub the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Knead the mixture together until it forms a dough, then press into the base of prepared tin. Prick the shortbread lightly with a fork.

Place in oven for 20 minutes until firm to touch and lightly browned. Allow to cool in the tin.

To make the caramel heat the butter, condensed milk and golden syrup in a saucepan, stirring all the time until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth.

Once boiling reduce the heat for about 5 minutes. Keep stirring. Do not neglect it or it will burn!  The caramel will thicken and turn golden-brown. Set aside to cool slightly, then pour over the cooled shortbread. Allow to cool completely.

Melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water (ensure that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water), stirring occasionally.

Pour the melted chocolate over the caramel and set aside until the chocolate has cooled completely.

Cut into squares or triangles and serve.