Shortbread with homemade toffee

Directions

• Place all the ingredients for the toffee in a small saucepan. Bring to the boil over medium heat. Allow to boil for about 8 minutes until nicely brown (don’t stir). If you have a candy thermometer, it should read 300°F. Pour onto a baking sheet lined with a silpat and spread thinly. Allow to cool before breaking up into small pieces. I did this by putting it into a plastic bag and bashing it with a rolling pin. Be careful of making the pieces too small, you don’t want toffee powder!
• Preheat your oven to 200°C or 400°F. Line a square cakepan (21 cm) with baking paper.
• Sift the cornflour and cake flour together two times. Beat the butter for about two minutes until light and fluffy. Add the castor sugar and continue to beat. Add the flour mixture and beat until a soft dough forms. Stir in a handful of the homemade toffee pieces (don’t use all of it!).
• Press the dough into the prepared cake pan and cut into squares of 2cm x 2cm (don’t cut all the way through, just score the lines so you can easily cut them after baking). Sprinkle some extra castor sugar over the shortbread. Bake for 10 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 160°C or 320°F and bake for about 30 minutes until lightly straw-colored. Allow to cool and then cut the squares all the way through. Store in an airtight container. Any leftover toffee pieces must also be stored airtight. Sprinkle over ice cream or use it in muffins or other bakes.