White Chocolate Shortbread Recipe

Ingredients

• 300 gsalted butter, cold and cubed
• 300 gplain white flour
• 120 ggranulated white sugar
• 120 gfine semolina
• 25 ghoneycomb pieces
• as needededible gold spray
• 400 gthick caramel
• 350 gwhite chocolate
• 20 gmilk chocolate

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven

   Heat the oven to 180°C, or 160°C for a fan-assisted oven.

2. 2

   Mix dry ingredients

   Put the sugar, flour and semolina in a large bowl.

3. 3

   Rub in butter

   Add the cold, cubed butter and rub it into the dry ingredients until crumbly. Clumps are fine, as long as there are no lumps of butter.

4. 4

   Press into tin

   Tip the mixture into a well-greased, non-stick medium roasting tin. Spread it evenly and press it down firmly with the flat of your hand.

5. 5

   Prick the dough

   Prick the surface all over with a fork to help prevent the biscuit from puffing up as it bakes.

6. 6

   Bake the base

   Bake for 25–30 minutes, until firm and pale golden.

7. 7

   Cool the biscuit

   Let the biscuit cool until firm. Leave it in the tin to cool completely, or carefully turn it out onto a cooling rack to speed cooling, then return it to the tin once cool.

8. 8

   Prepare honeycomb

   While the biscuit cools, put the honeycomb pieces in a small bowl.

9. 9

   Spray with gold

   Hold the edible gold spray about 5–7.5 cm (2–3 inches) from the honeycomb. Spray while gently shaking the bowl until the pieces are evenly coated, then leave them to dry.

10. 10

    Spread the caramel

    With the biscuit layer cold and in the tin, pour the caramel over it and gently spread it to the edges.

11. 11

    Add white chocolate

    Melt the white chocolate and let it cool. Pour it over the caramel, spread it evenly and level the surface.

12. 12

    Drizzle milk chocolate

    Melt the milk chocolate and drizzle it very thinly over the white chocolate in swirls.

13. 13

    Scatter honeycomb

    Scatter the gold-coated honeycomb over the top.

14. 14

    Chill to set

    Cover the tin and refrigerate for 30 minutes, or until the white chocolate has set through to the centre.

15. 15

    Turn out and cut

    Run a knife around the edges of the tin and turn the slab out onto a board. Trim the top and bottom edges with a sharp knife to make a neat rectangle, then cut into 16 bars.

What is Scottish shortbread?

Shortbread is a traditional Scottish biscuit made from a simple mix of butter, sugar and flour. This version adds semolina for texture, then layers the baked base with caramel and chocolate for a more elaborate, sliceable treat.

The contrast is what makes it work: a firm, crumbly biscuit supports soft caramel, while the set chocolate and honeycomb add sweetness and crunch.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 522 calories, 6g protein, 56g carbs, 31g fat.

The shortbread contributes most of the carbohydrates from flour, sugar and semolina, while butter and chocolate provide much of the fat. The recipe also includes some protein from the dairy ingredients and chocolate; serve a bar with fresh fruit to balance its richness.

The shortbread base

Cold butter: rubbing it into the flour, sugar and semolina gives the mixture its crumbly texture. Work it in until no distinct lumps of butter remain.

Semolina: this adds a slight graininess to the biscuit. Press the mixture firmly and evenly into the tin so the base holds together when sliced.

Getting an even bake

Fork marks: pricking the dough across the surface helps limit puffing during baking.

Colour and feel: take the base out when it is firm and pale golden, after 25–30 minutes. Let it become firm before adding the caramel so the layers stay distinct.

Layering caramel and chocolate

Caramel: use thick caramel and spread it gently to the edges over the cooled biscuit. A cold base makes it easier to keep the layers neat.

White chocolate: let the melted chocolate cool before pouring it over the caramel, then level the top. The fine milk-chocolate drizzle and honeycomb go on before the chocolate sets.

Finishing with honeycomb

Gold spray: coat the honeycomb while gently shaking the bowl, holding the spray 5–7.5 cm away. Leave the pieces to dry before scattering them over the chocolate.

Chilling: refrigerate the covered tin for at least 30 minutes, and check that the chocolate has set to the centre before turning out the slab.

Cutting and serving

Neat edges: trim the top and bottom of the slab with a sharp knife, then cut it into 16 bars as directed. The recipe lists 12 servings, so the finished bars can be shared as 12 larger portions or 16 smaller ones.

Serve the bars with tea or coffee. Their buttery base and sweet topping also pair well with fresh berries for a fresher contrast.

Recipe notes & tips

• Grease the tin well so the biscuit slab is easier to release.
• Press the biscuit mixture evenly into the tin to help it bake at a consistent thickness.
• Let the biscuit cool completely before spreading on the caramel.
• Allow the melted white chocolate to cool before pouring it over the caramel.
• Check the centre is set before turning out the slab for cutting.

Variations

• Skip the gold: Leave the spray off the honeycomb for a simpler finish.
• Use dark chocolate: Replace the milk-chocolate drizzle with melted dark chocolate.
• Add a pinch of salt: Sprinkle a little over the caramel before adding the white chocolate.
• Change the topping: Scatter chopped toasted nuts over the chocolate instead of honeycomb.
• Make smaller pieces: Cut the slab into more than 16 bars for smaller treats.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Butter lumps: Rub the butter in thoroughly so no large pieces remain in the biscuit mixture.
• Uneven base: Press the dough firmly and evenly into the tin to avoid thin or thick patches.
• Warm biscuit: Wait until the base is cold before adding caramel, or the layers may be harder to keep separate.
• Hot melted chocolate: Let the white chocolate cool before pouring it over the caramel.
• Cutting too soon: Chill until the chocolate is set to the centre before turning out and slicing.

How to store

Keep the bars covered in the fridge and eat within 5 days. Serve chilled or let them stand briefly at room temperature before eating; reheating is not recommended because it will soften the chocolate and caramel.

Frequently asked questions