The Flexible Baker by Jo Pratt is a super adaptable cookbook with 75 delicious recipes that have options for gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free or vegan versions. So what gives this slice its multi-millionaire status?
"It's mainly about the shortbread," says Jo. "I actually use a gluten-free flour blend as it stays crisp and light compared to a wheat flour, which can be a little doughy. Rather than using plain butter, I have caramelised it first for added depth of flavour. To top things off, I add a good sprinkling of flaked sea salt into the caramel for total deliciousness."
Ingredients
For the shortbread
| 250g | butter, plus extra for greasing |
| 2¼ cups | gluten-free flour |
| ½ cup | caster sugar |
| ¼ tsp | flaked sea salt |
For the caramel
| 397g can | condensed milk |
| 150g | butter |
| ¾ cup | caster sugar |
| 75g | golden syrup |
| ½ tsp | flaked sea salt |
For the topping
| 250g | dark chocolate (70 per cent cocoa solids), chopped |
| ½ tsp | flaked sea salt |
Directions
- To make the brown butter shortbread, put the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat, stirring frequently. Once you start to see dark golden flecks, remove the pan from the heat. Transfer to a heatproof bowl, then chill in the fridge until set.
- Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan. Grease and line the base of a 20cm square tin.
- Remove the set brown butter from the fridge. Put into a food processor with the flour, sugar and salt. Blitz until it is crumbly. Tip into the prepared tin and push down with the back of a spoon until you have an even base. Bake for 20–25 minutes until lightly golden, soft and bubbling. Leave to cool and set firm in the tin.
- For the caramel, put all of the ingredients in a heavy-based saucepan and place over a low heat. Stir continuously for 10 minutes, or until the caramel has started to thicken and becomes a golden colour. Pour over the shortbread. Set aside to cool for about 30 minutes.
- Finally, make the topping. Place the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of barely simmering water to melt. Alternatively, melt in the microwave in 10-second bursts. Pour this over the salted caramel layer (the caramel doesn't have to be totally set). Sprinkle over the salt, then chill in the fridge for the chocolate to set.
- After about 30 minutes, carefully remove from the tin and cut into small squares with a sharp knife.
Flexible
- Vegan: To make the shortbread base (this won't be a brown butter base), blend together 200g plant-based butter, 2¼ cups gluten-free flour, ½ cup caster (superfine) sugar and ½ teaspoon flaked sea salt until you have a crumbly texture. Press into the tin and bake as above. For the caramel, use a vegan condensed milk and plant-based butter, making the caramel in the same way as the above recipe, with the addition of 1 tablespoon cornflour (cornstarch) mixed in. Finally, make sure you use a dairy-free dark chocolate to melt and pour over the top.
Edited extract from The Flexible Baker by Jo Pratt. Published by Quarto UK. RRP $39.99
