I've been writing about my recent visit to the Wheat Ridge Amish community in Adams County, Ohio. One of my favorite stops while I am there is the Keim Family Market. 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. Rachel and I snagged a package of caramel bars. The bars are as delicious as the name implies, a layer of caramely goodness cocooned in a crumb coating. YUM. I do have a recipe for caramel bars that came to me from an Amish woman in Vanceburg, Kentucky. The bars sound almost identical to what we ate, so if you want to make them at home, this recipe is a good bet! 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.
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?
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.
Sorry-cream not milk.