I've been writing about my recent visit to the Wheat Ridge Amish community in Adams County, Ohio. Â One of my favorite stops while I am there is the Keim Family Market. Â I'll write more about Keim's in the days ahead, so stay tuned. But the market is a cornucopia of deliciousness that never fails to seduce with its decadent confections and fresh-made food. Â Rachel and I snagged a package of caramel bars. Â The bars are as delicious as the name implies, a layer of caramely goodness cocooned in a crumb coating. YUM. Â I do have a recipe for caramel bars that came to me from an Amish woman in Vanceburg, Kentucky. Â The bars sound almost identical to what we ate, so if you want to make them at home, this recipe is a good bet! Â Lately in the supermarket I have seen "baking caramels" by candy company Wurther's, it seems like this recipe would be perfect for those.
- 32 individually wrapped caramels, unwrapped
- 5 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup rolled oats
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup butter, melted
- ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt together the caramels and heavy cream, stirring occasionally until smooth.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda and salt.
- Stir in the melted butter until well blended. Press Half of the mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking pan. Reserve the rest.
- Bake the crust for 8 minutes in the preheated oven.
- Remove and sprinkle with chocolate chips.
- Pour the caramel mixture over the top and then crumble the remaining crust mixture over everything.
- Return to the oven and bake for an additional 12 minutes, or until the top is lightly toasted.
- Cut into squares while it is still warm.
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Nana
I jut read the recipe for the caramel bars and am intrigued as caramel always calls my name. I was wondering though that since the recipe calls for caramel candies which are melted and thinned with milk if one could simplify that step by just starting with caramel sauce-either purchased or in my case, homemade? Any thought on that?
Kevin
Nana, I am sure caramel sauce would work since, really, all you are doing is melting the caramels into a sauce...so you'd be saving yourself a step or two.
Nana
Sorry-cream not milk.