Chocolate Caramel Oat Bars
Buttery oat crumble bars with a soft, chewy caramel centre and generous pockets of chocolate. Cooling and chilling the slab before slicing gives neat, sturdy bars. Batch yield: 16 square bars from one 20 × 20 cm tin. One serving: 1 bar, approximately 69 g after baking and cooling. Allow approximately 4 hours 32 minutes from starting to slicing. Prep_minutes is total non-oven elapsed time: 30 minutes of preparation, assembly and cutting outside baking time, plus 90 minutes cooling and 120 minutes chilling. Cook_minutes is the sequential oven time: 10 minutes for the base and 22 minutes for the assembled bars. Active preparation totals about 40 minutes because 10 minutes of caramel-making overlaps the first bake and is not counted twice. Preheating overlaps the initial preparation. Butter is melted, so no softening wait is required. Allow longer cooling if the slab is still warm after 90 minutes. Appliances: Oven; Hob; Refrigerator. Equipment: 20 × 20 cm square metal baking tin, at least 5 cm deep; Baking paper; Digital kitchen scale; Measuring jug; Small saucepan; Medium heavy-based saucepan; Large mixing bowl; Heatproof spoon or spatula; Wire cooling rack; Sharp knife; Oven gloves. Allergens: Contains milk, wheat and oats; wheat contains gluten. Soy is a possible product allergen because chocolate and caramel sweets may contain soy lecithin. Check packaging for soy and nut cross-contact warnings. Choose explicitly vegetarian, gelatin-free caramel sweets and vegetarian-suitable chocolate. Nutrition is estimated per bar using typical ingredient values; the rounded macros provide approximately 333 kcal. Storage: Store airtight in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Alternatively, keep at a cool room temperature of 20°C or below for up to 2 days, within the same 5-day total storage period; refrigerate in warmer conditions. Freeze individual bars with baking paper between layers in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw covered overnight in the refrigerator.
240 min
Prep
32 min
Cook
16
Serves
333
Calories
Macros · per serving
3g protein
41g carbs
17g fat
Ingredients
For 16 servings
- 170 g Unsalted butter
- 140 g Light brown sugar
- 5 ml Vanilla extract
- 125 g Plain flour
- 140 g Rolled oats
- 3 g Bicarbonate of soda
- 2 g Fine salt
- 300 g Vegetarian soft dairy caramel sweets, gelatin-free, weighed without wrappers
- 120 ml Double cream
- 150 g Plain dark chocolate, 50–60% cocoa, chopped
Instructions
- 1
Heat the oven to 180°C conventional / 350°F, or 160°C fan / 320°F. Line a 20 × 20 cm square metal tin, at least 5 cm deep, with baking paper extending above two opposite sides. Unwrap and weigh the caramels, and chop the chocolate. Use soft, chewy dairy caramels rather than hard boiled sweets or pourable caramel sauce.
- 2
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat for 3–4 minutes, without browning it. Remove from the heat. No butter-softening time is needed.
- 3
In a large bowl, thoroughly combine the brown sugar, flour, oats, bicarbonate of soda and salt, breaking up any sugar lumps. Add the melted butter and vanilla. Stir until evenly moistened and clumpy, with no dry flour remaining. The mixture should hold together when pressed. Do not taste it before baking because it contains raw flour.
- 4
Divide the oat mixture into two equal portions, approximately 292 g each. Press one portion firmly and evenly over the tin's base using the back of a spoon. Bake on the middle shelf for 10 minutes, until the surface looks set and the edges are just beginning to colour.
- 5
While the base bakes, put the caramels and cream into a medium heavy-based saucepan. Heat gently on the hob for 8–10 minutes, stirring frequently, until completely melted and smooth. Do not boil vigorously. Remove from the heat; the caramel will be very hot, so avoid touching or tasting it.
- 6
Remove the base from the oven, leaving the oven on. Scatter 100 g of the chocolate evenly over the hot base. Carefully pour over the warm caramel and spread it gently towards the edges. Scatter over the remaining 50 g chocolate, then crumble the reserved oat mixture evenly over the filling, leaving a few small gaps.
- 7
Return the tin to the oven for 22 minutes. The oat topping should be golden, with caramel bubbling through a few gaps, including near the centre. The filling will still look soft; do not expect it to become firm in the oven.
- 8
Set the tin on a wire rack and leave the slab undisturbed for approximately 90 minutes, until it has cooled to room temperature. Do not lift it out or cut it while warm, as the caramel will flow.
- 9
Cover the cooled tin and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, until the caramel is firm enough to slice cleanly. This chilling is part of the recipe, not an optional shortcut.
- 10
Lift the chilled slab out using the paper. With a sharp knife, cut into a 4 × 4 grid to make 16 bars, each approximately 5 × 5 cm. Expect about 69 g per bar after baking and moisture loss; confirm by weighing the fully cooled slab and dividing its weight by 16.
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