Image is for illustrative purposes only.
This is the thick, chewy caramel layer that sits between a shortbread base and a chocolate top in a classic caramel slice. Butter, golden syrup and brown sugar are cooked together with condensed milk until the mixture thickens and takes on a deep golden colour, then it is poured over the base and baked just long enough to set.
The finished caramel is soft but firm enough to cut cleanly, with a toffee flavour from the golden syrup and brown sugar and a milky richness from the condensed milk. As well as caramel slice, it is useful anywhere you want a set caramel layer: under a chocolate ganache, in tart shells, or spread between sponge layers.
Ingredients
The weights in the recipe table below will yield the following 'weight per unit' and 'number of units'. If you would like to change the recipe to cater to a different 'weight per unit' and/or 'number of units',
you can use the Recipe Calculator Tool below the ingredients table.
Note: The Recipe Calculator Tool is available to subscribers.
Weight Per Unit: 1774
Number of Units: 1
Unit Size: 30 x 20 cm slice tin, caramel layer about 1.5 cm deep
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WEIGHT
(grams)
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ALTERNATIVE METRIC
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INGREDIENT
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IMAGE
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CONDITION
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A
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115 |
4 ounces
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Butter
Butter is a solid dairy product made by churning fresh or fermented cream or milk, to separate the butterfat from the buttermilk. It is generally used as a spread on plain or toasted bread products and a condiment on cooked vegetables, as well as in cooking, such as baking, sauce making, and pan frying. Butter consists of butterfat, milk proteins and water.
unsalted
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diced |
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B
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225 |
7.9 ounces
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Golden Syrup
Golden syrup is a thick amber sugar syrup made during cane sugar refining. It has a mild buttery caramel flavour and, unlike honey, it will not crystallise, which makes it ideal for chewy caramel fillings.
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C
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225 |
7.9 ounces
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Brown Sugar
Brown sugar is a sucrose sugar product with a distinctive brown color due to the presence of molasses. It is either an unrefined or partially refined soft sugar consisting of sugar crystals with some residual molasses content (natural brown sugar), or it is produced by the addition of molasses to refined white sugar (commercial brown sugar).
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lightly packed |
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D
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1200 |
42.2 ounces
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Condensed Milk
Condensed milk is cow's milk that has had most of its water removed and sugar added, leaving a thick, very sweet, pale golden syrup. It sweetens and enriches cold-set fillings at the same time, without adding extra liquid.
sweetened
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E
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9 |
1.8 teaspoons
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Vanilla Essence
Vanilla Extract is made with 100% pure vanilla beans. With a sweet, syrupy consistency, this Vanilla is ideal for use in icings, drinks and whipped cream as well as classic baking recipes. Vanilla Essence is commercially manufactured by chemicals and is more of a watery consistency as opposed to vanilla extract which is thicker and a lot fuller and richer in flavour. You can replace one with the other but use 50% more of essence. For example, for 1 teaspoon of extract, use 1.5 teaspoons of essence.
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1774
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Recipe Calculator Tool
Using this tool, you can alter this recipe for your own requirements. Use the two fields below to generate new weights for the ingredients above.
STEP 1. Enter your Custom Weight Per Unit
The 'Custom Weight Per Unit' is already loaded with the weight per unit for this recipe but can be changed if required. If all you wish to do is change the number of units (or servings), just leave the current weight per unit.
STEP 2. Enter your Custom Number of Units
This is the number of units (or servings) you want this recipe to yield.
STEP 3. Click Calculate
The new weights for your adjusted recipe will be displayed in the table above.
Method
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STEP
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ACTION
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DETAIL
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CONDITION
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1 |
Prepare |
Have your baked shortbread or biscuit base ready in a 30 x 20 cm tin lined with baking paper, and pre-heat the oven to 170°C (340°F). |
Base cooled and level in the tin |
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2 |
Melt |
Put A, B and C (butter, golden syrup and brown sugar) into a heavy based saucepan and melt together over low heat, stirring all the time. |
Butter melted and sugar dissolved, no grittiness left |
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3 |
Add |
Pour in D (condensed milk) and stir until completely blended with the butter mixture. |
Smooth, even colour throughout |
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4 |
Cook |
Cook over low to medium heat, stirring constantly and scraping the base and corners of the pan so it does not catch, for about 8 to 10 minutes. |
Thickened, glossy and a deep golden caramel colour; a spoon drawn through leaves a trail |
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5 |
Flavour |
Take the pan off the heat and stir in E (vanilla essence). |
Evenly mixed through |
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6 |
Fill |
Pour the hot caramel over the prepared base and spread it level with a palette knife. |
Even thickness right to the corners |
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7 |
Bake |
Bake at 170°C (340°F) for about 12 to 15 minutes. |
Surface set and lightly darkened, with only a slight wobble in the centre |
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8 |
Cool |
Cool the tray completely at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before adding a chocolate topping or cutting. |
Caramel firm and cuts cleanly with a warm knife |
Important Notes
This quantity makes about 1,770 g of caramel, enough for one 30 x 20 cm slice tin over a baked shortbread base. Cook it slowly and keep stirring, especially around the base and corners of the pan, as condensed milk catches and scorches very easily. Chef Yener's own note on this recipe is that the butter can be increased, up to double, for a softer, richer caramel, and that cooking the caramel well on the stove before baking gives a better set. The caramel can be made a day ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator; warm it gently to make it spreadable again. Finished slice keeps in the refrigerator for up to a week in an airtight container.
Tools & Arrangements
Heavy based saucepan, wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, kitchen scales, 30 x 20 cm slice tin, baking paper, palette knife, long sharp knife for cutting.
