Caramel Banana Shortbread with Vanilla Ice Cream

This is a dish I remember my gran making when she used to make millionaire's shortbread. I had to fight my sister for the burnt bits on the oven tray!

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   1) First, make the caramel. Put the tins of condensed milk into a deep saucepan and cover them with water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and put on the lid. Leave it to simmer rapidly for 2 hours. Cool them down completely before you open the tins to find a golden, sticky caramel. Once cooked, a tin of caramelised milk will keep in the fridge for 2 weeks.
   
   2) Turn the oven to 200C / 400G Gas Mark 6-7. Cream the butter with the sugar until it is light and fluffy. Sift the flours together. Mix the flours with the butter and sugar, and gently knead the dough until it comes into a firm ball.
   
   3) Line a 20 x 30cm baking tin with non-stick baking parchment. Roll out 2/3 of the dough to fit the tin, and lay it inside, pressing it neatly into the edges. Spread 3/4 of the condensed milk caramel evenly over the base. Add the peeled and chopped bananas, then crumble out the remaining third of the dough over the top of the caramel.
   
   4) Bake for 25-30 minutes. The caramel should have bubbled up a little among the dough, and the top of the shortbread should be golden. Leave it to cool in the tin before cutting it into 3 inch squares.
   
   5) To make the sauce, place the sugar in a dry, clean pan, and place on a low heat until all the sugar has dissolved. Turn up the heat until the edges start to turn a golden colour. Don't stir it - just shake the pan gently. When all of the sugar has caramelised, remove from the heat and allow it to cool for 2-3 minutes. Carefully add the water and bring back to the boil, then remove it from the heat and again allow to cool.
   
   6) When the shortbread has cooled completely, cut it into squares. If you like it warm, pop it into a warm oven for a couple of minutes.
   
   7) Serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a drizzle of caramel sauce, and a sprig of fresh mint.