Pecan millionaire’s shortbread

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4; grease a 20cm square cake tin and line with baking parchment. Put the pecans on a baking tray and roast for 10-12 minutes; set aside to cool. Mix the ­ our, sugar and a pinch of salt in a large mixing bowl. Rub in the cubed butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

Step 2

Set aside 16 toasted pecans; finely chop the rest. Stir the chopped pecans into the ­ our mixture, then bring the dough together with your hands and press into the tin. Smooth the top. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden; set aside to cool completely.

Step 3

Gently spread the caramel straight from the tin on top of the shortbread, trying not to stir it too much (it will lose its firmness); chill for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, put the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of barely simmering water (making sure the bottom of the bowl isn’t touching the water) until melted, stirring occasionally. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.

Step 4

Scatter the salt over the caramel, then drizzle over the chocolate, spreading it out with a spatula. Arrange the reserved pecans on top. Leave to set at room temperature (at least 4 hours or overnight).

Step 5

Use a sharp knife to score lines into the chocolate to make 16 squares, then put the tin in the fridge for 10 minutes. Lift the shortbread out of the tin, then slice into squares along the score lines. If the caramel is getting too warm, put the shortbread back into the fridge to set again.