Chocolate Caramel Bars.

Chocolate Caramel bars are made with a vanilla crumbly shortbread base, topped with a delicious caramel layer, then covered with dark chocolate.

I love recreating store-bought candy at home because it’s just so satisfying. Other than that, you can limit the preservatives and tweak the flavours to what you like. Besides that, I’ve come to learn that there is an innate satisfaction that comes with making things from scratch.

How to make Caramel Chocolate Bars.

Step 1; Preheat the oven to 160C and line the baking pan with a baking sheet, then set aside. Start by making the crumbly cookie dough. Mix butter with powdered sugar on a stand mixer, then add in the flour. Add a little milk to make the dough manageable and spreadable.

Step 2; Spread the cookie dough on a baking pan, and bake for at least 30 minutes at 160C, then let it cool to room temperature.

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Step 3; Make the caramel layer. Mix glucose syrup with vanilla heavy cream and bring to a boil, then set aside. In a medium non-stick pan, caramelize the sugar until dark amber, then deglaze with warm heavy cream infused with glucose syrup. Remove from heat, let it cool to 60C then stir in butter. Pour the caramel on top of the baked cookie base. Let it sit overnight or for at least 30-40 minutes in the fridge. On the other hand, you can melt store-bought caramel candy or homemade caramel candy bars.

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Step 4; Afterwards, melt a good quality dark chocolate in a microwave or over a warm water bath and add in a bit of oil. Mix thoroughly, then remove the caramel block from the baking tray cutting it into medium-sized blocks. Dip the blocks into the chocolate, place them on parchment paper and let them cool.

Tips For Success When Making Caramel Chocolate Bars.

• Make a thin cookie base. When pouring the cookie base onto the baking tray, spread it evenly and completely but avoid pressing in too much. This will ensure that the cookie block will bake evenly, quickly and completely.
• Dip the cookie blocks into chocolate when they are completely cold. This will make the chocolate set quickly making your work easier and less messy.
• Make your own homemade caramel blocks before hand to make your work easier. Find the recipe here.
• Use good quality dark chocolate.

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Caramel Chocolate Bars

Ingredients

Shortbread cookie layer.

• 400 gms Butter
• 150 gms powdered sugar
• 500 gms Flour
• 50 ml milk

Caramel Layer.

• 70 gms butter
• 350 gms granulated sugar
• 150 gms heavy cream
• 3 tbs glucose syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Chocolate layer

• 400 gms chopped chocolate
• 30ml oil

Procedure

• Pre heat the oven to 160C and line the baking tray with parchment paper then set aside.
• Afterwards, cream the butter and powdered sugar, then add in flour and milk and mix to a crumbly texture.
• Press down on the baking pan and bake for 25-35 minutes at 160C.
• Make the caramel layer. In a small pot warm the heavy cream and glucose syrup and set aside.
• Now, caramelize the sugar in a separate pot over medium heat until it turns golden brown, then pour in the warm heavy cream mixture and stir thorougly.
• Let it cook for a few minutes to 118-123C then remove from heat and set aside.
• Add in vanilla and butter and stir from the middle making sure it is completely incorporated.Pour the warm caramel over the cookie layer and let it sit for 8 hrs at room temp or 40 minutes in the fridge, until the caramel layer completely solidifies.
• Chop fine dark chocolate and semi melt it using double boiler method or microwave. Afterwords, Stir in oil to temper.
• Cut the cookie caramel block into small blocks or into desired sizes and dip into the chocolate.
• Place the dipped bars on a parchment paper and let them sit for a few minutes until the chocolate solidifies.