I’ve tweaked the classic recipe a little to make use of beremeal, instead of just flour.  Beremeal, a form of barley, was used to make bannocks before ‘posh’ flour was introduced to Scotland.  It has a nutty flavour and a great taste and you can buy it in health food stores or online.  It’s milled today on Orkney, and still available in Caithness and Shetland too - but only if we keep up demand for it.  It comes highly recommended by this chef!

Enough for a 12” square brownie tray.

INGREDIENTS

125g unsalted butter

65g caster sugar

75g plain flour

75g beremeal

40g cornflour

1 tin condensed milk

100g milk chocolate

A splash of double cream

METHOD

Heat oven to 130 °C.

Place the tin of condensed milk into a pan and cover with water. Boil steadily for 3 hours, ensuring the water never boils away.

To make the base, cream the butter and sugar together for 3 to 4 minutes before adding the beremeal, plain and cornflour. Mix well.

Press this mix into a greaseproof-paper-lined tray - the pastry should be roughly 1cm thick -and bake for around 30 minutes until golden.

Open the tin of condensed milk (once it's cooled down), which will now be caramel, and spread evenly over the cooled shortbread.

Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in a bowl over hot water and when melted add a splash of cream.

Pour the chocolate mix over the caramel, using a palette knife to spread evenly. Place in the fridge for a couple of hours before cutting into pieces with a hot knife. Enjoy with a cup of tea!