 | |
| Alternative names | Caramel squares, caramel slice, millionaire's shortbread, millionaire's slice, chocolate caramel shortbread, Wellington squares |
|---|---|
| Type | Biscuit |
| Course | Dessert |
| Associatedcuisine | Australia,Scotland,New Zealand |
| Main ingredients | Shortbread,caramel,milk chocolate |
| Variations | Gluten-free,vegan,white chocolate,Anzac biscuit,espresso,hazelnut,Raisin,Peanut butter |
Caramel shortbread, also known ascaramel squares,[1]caramel slice,millionaire's shortbread,[1]millionaire's slice,chocolate caramel shortbread orWellington squares[2] is a biscuit confectionery composed of ashortbread base topped withcaramel andmilk chocolate.[3] Variations exist which substitute or add ingredients to cater to different tastes, dietary requirements or ingredient availability.[4]
Caramel shortbread is an adapted form of the originalScottish shortbread. Scottish shortbread originated around the 15th century, but its modern refined form is attributed to the efforts ofMary, Queen of Scots in the 16th century.[5]
The practice of adding additional topping or ingredients to shortbread to create unique variations dates back to at least the 19th century whencandied orange peel andalmonds were added.[6]
Combinations of shortbread with caramel topping dates to at least the early 1950s.[7]A recipe for Chocolate Caramel Crunch (Millionaires' Shortbread), with a caramel layer and chocolate top coat, was published in the Scottish Association of Young Farmers' Clubs bookRecipes in 1972.[8] The recipes in this book were contributed by Scottish members of the organisation.
Recipes for the dish with a chocolate topping also appeared in Australia in the early 1970s inThe Australian Women's Weekly.[9] The earliest of these recipes appears in 1970 in an issue ofThe Australian Women's Weekly under the name "Caramel Shortbread", but this version lacks the distinctive chocolate topping.[10] Later recipes such as one from 1981 include the chocolate layer.[11]
The treat is still commonly associated with the cuisines ofAustralian,New Zealand andScotland (as well asBritish cuisine more generally) and is still consumed in these countries regularly.[12] In Scotland it is often served to the first visitor to a house on New Year's Day.[12]It is also consumed around the world, where it is known by different names. In 2018 the dessert was featured in an episode of the American television showAmerica's Test Kitchen.[12]
The name of the dessert varies by different regions and has varied throughout its history.[1][10][11] This includes the aforementioned names of caramel shortbread and chocolate caramel shortbread, as well as millionaire's shortbread, caramel slice, caramel squares, or millionaire's slice.The name "millionaire's shortbread" appears to have originated in Scotland.[12] The "millionaire" prefix to millionaire's shortbread or millionaires slice implies a level of decadence and wealth to the sweet treat, that it is an upgrade from regular shortbread.[9][13]
Many different variations of caramel shortbread exist to cater to different tastes, dietary requirements, and ingredient availability.Some variants include usingwhite rather than milk chocolate for the topping,[14] addingespresso andhazelnut,[15] substituting shortbread forAnzac biscuits,[16] addingraisins to the shortbread, or topping withpeanut butter instead of chocolate.[17] Some recipes adjust the recipe to cater to dietary requirements.Gluten-free andvegan versions exist.[9]
...the layered combination of soft caramel and chocolate topping set upon a shortbread base, known as caramel squares, or sometimes as millionaire's shortbread
