This is one of my favourite things to eat, so when I was scanning my list of child-friendly bakes, looking for something for us to make in the run-up to my birthday, this was the clear winner. Plus, I knew there'd be cake imminent, so didn't want to 'over-cake' us!
I've made this before, but not to Mary's recipe. It's so easy, you just need to commit some time in order to fit in the three stages. Elizabeth was very involved in stage one: the shortbread bit. She loves making biscuit dough, but also liked pressing the mixture into the tin and then pricking it with the fork. We were both surprised that there was enough dough to fill the tin - a 13 x 9 inch swiss roll one. The shortbread layer didn't take too long to bake, and I kept a very close eye on it so I could catch it before it got too brown.
Next it was time for what I think is the most sinful part: the caramel. Two tins of condensed milk, plus butter and sugar were measured into a saucepan, complete with spoon-licking (by both of us), and this was all very carefully heated so as not to burn it. I thought I was doing well until the dissolved sugar seemed to start to re-form. I'd not noticed any sticking, but brown flecks started to appear, and I'm really not sure why. Given that the mixture had thickened, I took it off the heat and poured it over the shortbread. I wasn't worried about the aesthetics - the chocolate would cover any flaws!
So then, the chocolate. 200g of milk chocolate, melted over simmering water, and another treat for the resident spoon-licker. Again, it didn't look enough to cover the whole tray, but I was proved wrong, and didn't even make a mess spreading it out.
I left it on the side to set, but the sun moved round and made its position a warm spot, so I decided to risk the chocolate looking pallid by putting it in the fridge. It didn't take long to set at all, and was very easy to slice, even into smaller pieces, to suit Joe's idea of an adequate portion. We tried some after having eaten a big plateful of curry and decided it was very rich and sickly, so, given the quantity, I donated the entire middle section to his colleagues. Apparently it went down very well, despite there being an influx of cake in the office that day. I also delivered some to a lovely neighbour, and there's still one piece left, four days later!
Baker's verdict: easy and enjoyable to make, but as much as I love it, I'd only make it again if I had a large group to make it for. It's too calorific to plough through over several days!
Husband rating: 7.5/10 - really well-made, very luxurious, just a bit sweet for me. Nice, crunchy thick chocolate on top.
I've made this before, but not to Mary's recipe. It's so easy, you just need to commit some time in order to fit in the three stages. Elizabeth was very involved in stage one: the shortbread bit. She loves making biscuit dough, but also liked pressing the mixture into the tin and then pricking it with the fork. We were both surprised that there was enough dough to fill the tin - a 13 x 9 inch swiss roll one. The shortbread layer didn't take too long to bake, and I kept a very close eye on it so I could catch it before it got too brown.
Next it was time for what I think is the most sinful part: the caramel. Two tins of condensed milk, plus butter and sugar were measured into a saucepan, complete with spoon-licking (by both of us), and this was all very carefully heated so as not to burn it. I thought I was doing well until the dissolved sugar seemed to start to re-form. I'd not noticed any sticking, but brown flecks started to appear, and I'm really not sure why. Given that the mixture had thickened, I took it off the heat and poured it over the shortbread. I wasn't worried about the aesthetics - the chocolate would cover any flaws!So then, the chocolate. 200g of milk chocolate, melted over simmering water, and another treat for the resident spoon-licker. Again, it didn't look enough to cover the whole tray, but I was proved wrong, and didn't even make a mess spreading it out.
I left it on the side to set, but the sun moved round and made its position a warm spot, so I decided to risk the chocolate looking pallid by putting it in the fridge. It didn't take long to set at all, and was very easy to slice, even into smaller pieces, to suit Joe's idea of an adequate portion. We tried some after having eaten a big plateful of curry and decided it was very rich and sickly, so, given the quantity, I donated the entire middle section to his colleagues. Apparently it went down very well, despite there being an influx of cake in the office that day. I also delivered some to a lovely neighbour, and there's still one piece left, four days later!Baker's verdict: easy and enjoyable to make, but as much as I love it, I'd only make it again if I had a large group to make it for. It's too calorific to plough through over several days!
Husband rating: 7.5/10 - really well-made, very luxurious, just a bit sweet for me. Nice, crunchy thick chocolate on top.
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