Salted Caramel Shortbread

INGREDIENTS

Metric

Imperial

For the salted caramel:

1 cup castor sugar
130 g butter
1/2 cup cream
2 pinches of flaked sea salt (not table salt)
*You should use sea salt flakes such as 'Maldon salt' rather than table salt as the flavour is far superior and you will taste the difference in the finished product.

For the salted caramel:

8 oz castor sugar
4.58 oz butter
1/2 cup cream
2 pinches of flaked sea salt (not table salt)
*You should use sea salt flakes such as 'Maldon salt' rather than table salt as the flavour is far superior and you will taste the difference in the finished product.

Preheat the oven to 170°C and grease and line a 20cm square or similar sized baking tin
Cream together the butter and sugar
Add the vanilla essence and mix until incorporated
Mix the SASKO flours together and add to the butter mixture
Rub the butter and sugar mixture into the SASKO CAKE WHEAT FLOUR until it begins to come together in a breadcrumb-like dough mixture, it will not come together to form a ball of dough, but this is what will keep the shortbread ‘short’
Transfer the crumbly dough mix into the baking tin and press it down into the tin with your fingers before using a spatula to even out the top
Bake in the oven for approximately 25 minutes, until the shortbread is just beginning to turn golden
Remove from the oven

Method For Salted Caramel

Place the cream and salt in a saucepan
Heat together gently until the cream is warm, then remove from the heat, do not boil
Place the sugar into a high-sided saucepan on medium-high heat until it begins to melt in areas
Swirl the sugar around in the saucepan to ensure that the sugar melts evenly
Continue to swirl until the sugar has all melted and is beginning to turn golden in colour
Be careful that you don’t burn the sugar
Once the butter is incorporated, slowly pour in the cream while swirling the saucepan
Once all the cream has been added, whisk the caramel on the heat for a further minute before removing from the heat
Use a teaspoon to taste a little of the caramel, make sure it’s cooled before tasting
If you’d like to add a little more salt at this point do, and stir through until it’s dissolved
Pour the hot salted caramel over the shortbread and allow to cool completely
Set in the baking tin before removing from the baking tin and cutting into squares