Caramel Slice
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If you asked me to make a tray bake to top all of the other tray bakes, Caramel Slice would be the winner. It’s an absolute classic and always a favourite with all ages, made with all the best things you could have in a sweet treat; biscuit, caramel and chocolate!
It seems to have different names as well. I’ve always known it as Caramel Slice, but it is often called Caramel Shortbread, Millionaire’s Slice, Caramel Shortcake and Millionaire’s Shortbread as well.
Regardless of what name you know it by, the foundations of this tray bake are the same: A shortbread-like biscuit base, a soft layer of sweet caramel and topped with your favourite chocolate(s).
Personally, I like a layer of white chocolate, but more usually, it is a layer of milk chocolate. You can of course mix it up with whatever chocolate you love, or even go for a marble effect with milk and white – the possibilities are endless!
Top Tips for the best Caramel Slice:
(also known as Millionaires Slice and Caramel Shortbread – depending on who you ask!)
• Use a tin with straight edges: If you have a square tin with straight sides (not sloped), it’ll give you those classic, bakery-style slices with neat layers, and you won’t need to try to trim the edges for even slices. This is my go-to baking tin for making all tray bakes.
• Use your favourite chocolate: Traditionally, you’d get Caramel Shortcake topped with milk chocolate, but you can use whatever your favourite chocolate is. You can even use a combination and create a luxurious marbled effect, if you want to be a bit fancy.
• Score the chocolate before it sets: To avoid the chocolate cracking when you cut your slices, score it lightly with a sharp knife when it’s just starting to set, still soft but not wet.
• Cut with a hot knife for clean slices: Run your knife under hot water, dry it off, then slice your Caramel Shortbread. Wipe the blade between each cut for those picture-perfect layers.
More Scottish Baking You’ll Love:
• Traditional Scottish Tablet
• Chocolate Marshmallow Top Hats
• Scottish Snowballs
• Easy Scottish Shortbread
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Caramel Slice
INGREDIENTS
For the Base
- 250 g Plain Flour
- 85 g Caster Sugar
- 170 g Block Margarine or Butter (cold; cubed)
For the Topping
- 175 g Block Margarine or Butter
- 175 g Soft Light Brown Sugar
- 397 g Condensed Milk (usually 1 tin)
- 4 tbsp Golden Syrup (see Golden Syrup note below)
- 225 g Milk Chocolate
EQUIPMENT
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C for fan-assisted ovens, Gas Mark 4 or 350°F) and grease and line a 20×20cm (8×8 inch) baking tin with
greaseproof paper . Set aside. - In a large bowl, mix the flour and
caster sugar before adding the (base) butter/margarine and rubbing together until it resembles breadcrumbs. Knead the mixture together to form a dough. - Using your fingers, press the dough into your pre-greased tin, working it into as smooth a finish as possible. Prick holes all over the dough before baking in your preheated oven for 20 minutes
- Meanwhile, place the (topping) margarine/butter, brown sugar, condensed milk and golden syrup into a saucepan over a gentle heat, stirring continuously, until all the sugar has dissolved.
- Bring the caramel mixture to the boil and stir vigorously for 2-3 minutes, until it begins to thicken a little in consistency.
- Pour the caramel over your baked base, ensuring an even finish right into the corners. Leave it to cool a little before preparing the chocolate.
- Melt the chocolate in short bursts in the microwave or over a bain-marie before pouring and spreading it evenly over the caramel, ensuring a smooth finish right into the corners.
- Leave to set in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or ideally overnight. Once set, cut into individual squares or slices.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
All my recipes are developed using a digital scale and the metric system (grams and millilitres). Cup measurements are available as a conversion but these, unfortunately, won’t always be as accurate. For best results, I always recommend baking with a digital scale.
RECIPE NOTES:
Substitutions:
- Condensed Milk: This recipe relies on sweetened condensed milk for the caramel; unfortunately, evaporated milk won’t work as a substitute.
- Chocolate: Milk chocolate is traditional, but dark or even white chocolate works too. Alternatively, you can create a combination and do a fancy marbled effect.
- Butter: You can use block margarine instead of butter. Just be sure to use a high-quality block margarine, not spreadable margarine.
Tried this recipe?
Tag @bakingwithgranny or use the hashtag #bakingwithgranny!Caramel Slice – also known as Millionaires Slice or Caramel Shortbread – is made in three layers. First, you bake a simple shortbread base. Then you make a thick caramel using condensed milk, golden syrup and butter, which tops the shortbread base. Finally, you pour over melted chocolate over the caramel layer, and leave it to set before slicing into squares.
Caramel Slice – also known as Millionaires Slice or Caramel Shortbread – is made in three layers. First, you bake a simple shortbread base. Then you make a thick caramel using condensed milk, golden syrup and butter, which tops the shortbread base. Finally, you pour over melted chocolate over the caramel layer, and leave it to set before slicing into squares.
I think it depends on where you come from. In the UK, Caramel Slice or Millionaires Shortbread are most common. With the “millionaire” bit refers to it being a fancy version of plain shortbread, rich with caramel and chocolate!
If your caramel hasn’t set, it probably just needs a little more cooking time – try leaving it a little longer next time. Or, if you used a margarine instead of butter, it could be that the water content in your margarine was too high – try a different brand next time (I like Flora Block).
Let the chocolate just start to set, then score it lightly with a sharp knife before it hardens. When ready to slice, use a hot knife and wipe it clean between cuts for perfectly neat layers.
What is Golden Syrup?
Golden Syrup is a popular baking ingredient in the UK… But what is it? Where can you get it? And what can you use as a substitute?
My in-depth Golden Syrup Guide has all the answers to your questions!
Originally published in March 2018. Updated in June 2025.
