This millionaires shortbread cheesecake with it's biscuit and caramel base, vanilla cheesecake filling and chocolatey top is delicious.
This cheesecake is, of course, my homage to the classic coffee shop treat that is millionaire's shortbread, but with added cheesecake goodness.
You'll make all the elements from scratch, which is what makes this millionaires shortbread cheesecake so special.
First you'll make the shortbread base, then whip up a simple microwave caramel, top it with a vanilla cream cheese filling, dust with cocoa, chill and serve to rapturous applause.
The shortbread base is easy to make. You'll simply rub cold butter into a mixture of sugar, flour and semolina, press into a round tin and bake to crisp perfection.
For the caramel, you'll use my favourite shortcut method, which involves popping butter, light soft brown sugar and condensed milk in the microwave and heating in bursts until a lovely thick, golden caramel is acheived.
The filling is no bake, so you'll have that assembled in a jiffy. You'll simply pop double cream, cream cheese, vanilla and icing sugar in a bowl, whisk until thick, pile into the tin and chill overnight.
In the morning, you'll simply dust the cheesecake with cocoa powder, release from the tin and serve. The result is this gorgeous millionaires shortbread cheesecake that is sure to please everyone.
Here's the full recipe for my millionaires shortbread cheesecake, complete with pics of every step. Enjoy!
Ingredients
For the shortbread base
- 225 g (7.9 oz) salted butter cold and cubed
- 225 g (7.9 oz) plain white flour (all purpose flour) all purpose flour
- 90 g (3.2 oz) white caster sugar (superfine sugar) superfine sugar
- 90 g (3.2 oz) fine semolina
For the caramel
- 100 g (3.5 oz) salted butter
- 100 g (3.5 oz) soft light brown sugar
- 400 g (14.1 oz) condensed milk
For the filling
- 300 ml (10.1 floz) double cream heavy cream
- 600 g (1.3 lb) full fat cream cheese
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 140 g (4.9 oz) icing sugar (powdered sugar) powdered sugar
- 200 g (7.1 oz) white chocolate melted
To decorate
- 40 g (1.4 oz) cocoa powder
Instructions
Make the shortbread base
Preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan-assisted).
Put the sugar, flour and semolina in a large bowl.
Mix together.
Add the cold, cubed butter.
Rub in until a crumb is achieved. It's normal for it to go clumpy, as long as there are no lumps of butter.
Tip the dough out into a well-greased, non-stick, 23cm round tin. Spread evenly and press down firmly with the flat of your hand.
Prick the dough all over with a fork - this helps to stop the biscuit puffing up during baking.
Bake for 25 minutes or until firm and pale golden.
Place on a wire rack and allow to cool until firm.
To make the caramel layer
Put the butter, light soft brown sugar and condensed milk in a large, heat proof bowl.
Heat in the microwave for 2 minutes to melt everything together. Stir, then continue the heat and stir for 3 further 2 minute blasts (to a total of 8 minutes). Be extremely careful and use oven gloves and care when handling the bowl as the caramel will bubble and reach almost 120C (250F). Stir by reaching the silicon spatula into the microwave if possible and safe to do so so that you can avoid moving the bowl any more than necessary.
When you've finished cooking the caramel, leave it in the microwave to cool.
When the caramel has cooled to become thick but still pourable, pour it on top of the biscuit layer, spread to level off, then put in the fridge until the caramel is firm.
Make the cheesecake filling
Melt the white chocolate and set aside to cool.
Put the double cream, cream cheese, vanilla and icing sugar in a large bowl.
Whisk until just combined.
Add the melted white chocolate.
Fold together.
Spoon the filling onto the cooled caramel and smooth over the surface.
Place in the fridge to firm up overnight.
To serve
Sift the cocoa on top of the cheesecake, then rRun a knife around the inside of the tin to release all the layers, then stand the base on a tin and release the springform clip to allow the sides to fall away.
Slide onto a board and cut into slices to serve.
Print this millionaires shortbread cheesecake recipe
Millionaires Shortbread Cheesecake Recipe
Ingredients
For the shortbread base
- 225 g (7.9 oz) salted butter cold and cubed
- 225 g (7.9 oz) plain white flour (all purpose flour) all purpose flour
- 90 g (3.2 oz) white caster sugar (superfine sugar) superfine sugar
- 90 g (3.2 oz) fine semolina
For the caramel
- 100 g (3.5 oz) salted butter
- 100 g (3.5 oz) soft light brown sugar
- 400 g (14.1 oz) condensed milk
For the filling
- 300 ml (10.1 floz) double cream heavy cream
- 600 g (1.3 lb) full fat cream cheese
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 140 g (4.9 oz) icing sugar (powdered sugar) powdered sugar
- 200 g (7.1 oz) white chocolate melted
To decorate
- 40 g (1.4 oz) cocoa powder
Instructions
Make the shortbread base
- Preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan-assisted).
- Put the sugar, flour and semolina in a large bowl. Mix together.
- Add the cold, cubed butter and rub in until a crumb is achieved. It's normal for it to go clumpy, as long as there are no lumps of butter.
- Tip the dough out into a well-greased, non-stick, 23cm round tin. Spread evenly and press down firmly with the flat of your hand.
- Prick the dough all over with a fork - this helps to stop the biscuit puffing up during baking.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until firm and pale golden. Place on a wire rack and allow to cool until firm.
To make the caramel layer
- Put the butter, light soft brown sugar and condensed milk in a large, heat proof bowl.
- Heat in the microwave for 2 minutes to melt everything together. Stir, then continue the heat and stir for 3 further 2 minute blasts (to a total of 8 minutes). Be extremely careful and use oven gloves and care when handling the bowl as the caramel will bubble and reach almost 120C (250F). Stir by reaching the silicon spatula into the microwave if possible and safe to do so so that you can avoid moving the bowl any more than necessary.
- When you've finished cooking the caramel, leave it in the microwave to cool.
- When the caramel has cooled to become thick but still pourable, pour it on top of the biscuit layer, spread to level off, then put in the fridge until the caramel is firm.
Make the cheesecake filling
- Melt the white chocolate and set aside to cool.
- Put the double cream, cream cheese, vanilla and icing sugar in a large bowl and until just combined.
- Add the melted white chocolate and fold together.
- Spoon the filling onto the cooled caramel and smooth over the surface.
- Place in the fridge to firm up overnight.
To serve
- Sift the cocoa on top of the cheesecake, then rRun a knife around the inside of the tin to release all the layers, then stand the base on a tin and release the springform clip to allow the sides to fall away.
- Slide onto a board and cut into slices to serve.
Nutrition
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