Caramelita Bars

I’m finally back to baking again and loving it!  Over the weekend I made these super yummy Caramelita Bars.  They’ve got a layer of oatmeal streusel, caramel, chocolate and pecans.  What’s not to love?!  They are a cross between Seven Layer Bars and Gooey Caramel Butter Bars.  These bars are extra-rich and delicious.  I made half with pecans and half without, and the nutty side got devoured long before the nut-free side.  Next time I make them, I might throw in a few more chocolate chips.  I felt the caramel was the dominant flavor, though I guess that makes sense, given their name.  I might also make a little more of the streusel layer because it didn’t seem like it was thick enough.  Totally not the recipe’s fault: my favorite part of any recipe is the dough, and this dough was irresistible.  I couldn’t help but sneak a few bites while I was waiting for the bottom layer to bake.  This is definitely a recipe I’ll be making again in the future!  I forgot to take pictures, but be sure to check out the photos on Eddybles….once you see these, you’ll have a tough time resisting!

Caramelita Bars

from Eddybles

48 soft caramel candies
6 tablespoons evaporated milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup quick-cooking oatmeal
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup bittersweet (or semisweet) chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans

for the caramel layer

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13″ x 9″ x 2″ baking pan.

2. In a small saucepan combine the caramels and evaporated milk. Over low heat, gently melt the milk and candy until thoroughly combined and creamy and thick. Stir constantly to avoid scorching. Remove from heat and reserve.

for the streusel dough

3. Combine the flour, oatmeal, brown sugar, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl. Beat in the melted butter at medium speed until a batter like consistency is achieved.

4. Press half the streusel dough into the baking pan. Bake for ten minutes.

to assemble

4. Drizzle most of the melted caramel over the baked streusel layer, reserving enough to drizzle over the fully assembled bars. Sprinkle the chocolate chips and pecans over the caramel and top with the remaining portion of dough. Bake for an additional 15 minutes.

5. Remove from the oven and drizzle with remaining caramel, reheating if necessary to soften it up. Refrigerate for a few hours before cutting and serving.

Yield: 16 bars