Caramelitas

So, I went home recently and was trying out a few new coffee places. And all of them were serving these flapjack looking caramel chocolate creations. They were called labelled “caramelitas” and I’d never heard of them before. I obviously bought one to try, and then immediately decided that I had to make my own. We’re basically talking a sugary crumble bar with chocolate and caramel filling.

Buuuut the amazing thing about this is that you can make a load of different types based on what you like and what’s in the cupboard. Here, I’ve made the basic chocolatey caramel ones (with coconut!) as well as some nutty ones with hazelnuts and Nutella sprinkled in. I’ve also made them recently with coconut added to the caramel and chocolate, and also spiced ones with Lotus biscuit spread and cinnamon powder.

This recipe makes two full trays of biscuit-y, caramel-y, chocolate-y gooey goodness. Feel free to halve it if you don’t feel like gorging on dozens of these things. You crazy person.

Ingredients

• 250g rolled oats
• 250g plain flour
• 150g caster sugar
• 150g brown sugar
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• Pinch salt
• 250g butter, melted
• A tin of caramel
• 150g dark chocolate, chopped
• A few handfuls of dessicated coconut
• A few tablespoons of Nutella, optional
• A few handfuls of crushed hazelnuts, optional

Method

Prepare 2 baking trays by greasing and lining with paper, and preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius.

Mix together the oats, flour, sugars, bicarbonate and salt in a big bowl.

Make a well in the middle and pour in the melted butter.

Stir well and divide into two.

Press and smooth 2/3 of each half mixture into the prepared tins and bake for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare your toppings. Chop the chocolate and bash the nuts, if using.

Remove the part-baked trays and throw in the fillings. To one, I added 100g of the chopped chocolate and a good few dollops of caramel. To the other I added only 50g chocolate, caramel, and threw in some hazelnuts and Nutella.

Sprinkle the rest of the base mixture on top of each. Throw over a few choc chips if you want.

Back in the oven for another 20 minutes.

Remove when golden and everything melted.

Allow to cool in tin then slice into generous squares.