Jul

Creamy Fudgey Caramely Chocolate Oatmeal Bars

A soft, creamy, fudgey layer of chocolate rides on top of a chewy, caramely layer of oatmeal bar. Wickedly, sinfully delicious. And they’re very easy to make. Whip up a batch today.

Warning: These magically disappear. Don’t turn your back on them. I left this batch alone for a few minutes, and came back to find that one of the other kitchen demons had snarfed down quite a few.

Ingredients (25 squares)

Bottom Layer (Oatmeal Bar)

½ cup butter

1 cup natural cane sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla essence

1 ½ cups rolled oats

1 ¼ cups flour

½ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

Top Layer (Chocolate)

1 ¼ cups (10 fl oz can) condensed milk

1 tbsp butter

¼ tsp salt

6 oz (170g) dark chocolate, broken into small pieces

1 tsp vanilla essence

The Bottom Layer

1. Pre-heat the oven to 325F (165c).

2. In a large bowl, cream the butter.

3. Add the sugar and cream it into the butter until well combined.

4. Add the egg and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer for 1-2 minutes.

5. In a separate bowl, combine the oats, flour, baking soda, and salt. Add this dry mixture to the wet mixture and combine.

6. Spread the mixture in a buttered and floured 9” x 9” (23cm x 23cm) cake pan. Use a fork to evenly tamp down the mixture.

The Top Layer

7. In a small saucepan, over low heat, heat the condensed milk and tablespoon of butter, until the butter melts. Then add the chocolate pieces.

8. Stir constantly until the chocolate melts. Take the saucepan off the heat and stir in the vanilla.

9. Pour the chocolate mixture over the bottom layer.

10. Bake the bars for 35 minutes. Now, it’s time for the baker’s reward. While the bars are baking, you get to clean up the fudgey chocolate sauce – with your fingers. This is a yummy reward!

11. Remove the bars from the oven. The top will be bubbly and even slightly cracked, and it will settle into a heavy fudgey layer as it cools. Let it cool for at least an hour.