Carmelita’s

For some reason, I just love to blog about food when I’m here at home…maybe because I find myself baking and cooking more than before. So, maybe you need a new recipe.

I actually have shared this recipe on my old blog, but now it’s here too.:)

This dessert is so rich and delicious.  It is a hit at every party!  It’s hard to find a dessert that doesn’t need eggs, but this dessert fits the bill.  My friend also makes these gluten free!  Just substitute a good flour such as Better Batter and gluten free oats.

Ingredients for Caramel sauce:

• 1 C butter
• 1 C light corn syrup
• 2 C brown sugar
• 1 can sweetened and condensed milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions for Caramel Sauce:

• In a medium sauce pan, melt butter until mostly melted. Add brown sugar and stir until combined.
• Then add light corn syrup.
• Continue stirring until it comes to a boil. Boil 30 seconds- 1 minute.
• Add sweetened and condensed milk. Return to a boil and boil 1-2 minutes.
• Removed pan from heat and add vanilla.
• Voila! The BEST caramel sauce ever
• Use this for carmelita’s, caramel popcorn, dipping apples, or for ice cream!

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Ingredients for crust:

• 1 1/4 C homemade caramel sauce
• 1 1/4 C butter, melted
• 1 1/2 C brown sugar
• 2 C unbleached flour
• 2 C quick oats
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 8-10 oz guittard milk chocolate chips {seriously friends, these are the ONLY kind I use}

Directions for Crust:

• Make Caramel sauce according to directions above.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a medium bowl, mix flour, oats, and baking soda.

• In a large bowl, combine melted butter and brown sugar.

• Add flour/b. soda/oats combo and stir until well combined. Divide dough in 2/3:1/3 ratio approximately.
• Press 2/3 portion into a 9×13 casserole dish that has been lightly greased on the sides(this prevents the caramel from sticking to badly)

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• Bake pressed crust in a preheated oven at 350º for 10 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and pour the caramel sauce gently on top {the crust is only half cooked so it will come apart if you aren’t gentle}.  Smooth evenly very carefully with a spatula.

• Then sprinkle the chocolate chips over the caramel.

• Top with remaining dough evenly over the top.

• Return to oven and bake for an additional 15-17 minutes.

• It is done when browned around the edges-the center will still look somewhat under cooked.  But have no fear, it will set up wonderfully as it cools.  Let cool completely before cutting and serving. 
• This is one of those desserts that just won’t cut up nice until it is cooled all the way.  The homemade caramel needs time to set back up, and because of the butter content of the crust it needs that time too.  One tip I do is when it’s cooled about 30 minutes, take a sharp knife and cute around the edges like in the picture above.  The caramel touching the glass on the sides tends to caramelize just a bit too much and sticks to the sides.:)

So because these are so rich, I recommend, doing one chore, then eating a little piece, then another chore and another piece.  Ha-Ha!  This is how I bribe myself to clean my kitchen!

Chocolate and caramel…now that is a reason to have hope!

Today there is a reason to hope.

Here’s a pdf format of this recipe if you want to download it.