Caramel Coconut Bars

 

 

 

Caramel and Coconut make a delicious combination and these bars are just a perfect example of that! I had a can of sweetened condensed milk lying in my kitchen after i made Key Lime Pie for a small get-together a few weeks ago. Instead of making another pie, I wanted to make caramel out of the sweetened condensed milk and then make a simple sweet perfect for after meal cravings. This recipe is adapted from this beautiful blog ‘Cook Republic‘, with  my own twist to it and some varied ingredients.

 

 

The mixture of whole-wheat flour and oats flour for the base provide a nice texture for these bars and then caramel topped off with toasted coconut powder and garnished with chopped almond flakes make these bars simply irresistible and oh so delectable!

 

 

Prep time + Cook time: 40 mins

Serves: Makes around 15 to 16 bars

 

Recipe

 

– Sweetened Condensed Milk – 1 14-oz can

– Coconut powder – 6 tsps

– Almond flakes – for garnish

– Butter spray – to grease the baking sheet

 

For the base,

– Whole wheat flour – 1 cup

– Oats Flour – 1 cup (Simply, grind the oats to powder)

– Sugar – 3/4th cup

– Butter – 3 tsps

– Milk – 3 tsps – or just enough to bind everything together

 

1. In a mixing bowl, take about 3 tsps of butter kept at room temperature. Add sugar and mix with the butter until smooth and fluffy. Add the whole wheat flour and oats flour into the bowl and give a nice mix. The mixture was a little dry at this point. So instead of adding more butter, I just added about 3 tsps of milk and mixed to bind everything together.

2. Pre-heat the oven to 325 deg F. Get the baking sheet lined with aluminium foil.

3. Place the coconut powder on the aluminium foil and place into the oven for around 2 to 3 mins just until it is lightly toasted. Remove onto a plate and set aside.

4. Now, Grease the foil with some butter spray or butter. Place the flour base mixture or batter on the baking sheet and press it out evenly to get about 1/4th of an inch thickness. Place it in the oven and let it cook for around 12 to 15 mins until the base is hard enough to take on the caramel.

5. In the mean while, take a non-stick sauce pan and empty the can of sweetened condensed milk into it. On low heat, keep stirring the condensed milk for about 8 to 10 mins. Turn off the stove and let it cool for 2 to 3 mins. At this point, we have the desired caramel.

6. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and pour caramel over the flour base. Using a spatula spread the caramel evenly. Place the baking sheet again in the oven and let cook for 12 to 15 mins.

7. Remove from oven, sprinkle the toasted coconut powder and let cool for at-least 10 mins. Cut into desired size bars and garnish with almond flakes.

 

 

Enjoy these delicious bars with family and friends. For special occasions, arrange them in some nicely decorated boxes and gift it to near and dear. They’ll love it!

 

 

Notes:

– Store them in air-tight containers and refrigerate so that they last long. Since, caramel has a tendency to harden, when it’s time for that sweet tooth, simply heat in microwave for 10 secs and they are ready to eat.