And a happy weekend to all. Nothing like eating French toast for breakfast at near noon while watching Men’s Trampoline Olympic finals. I’m feeling a strong sense of recognition in regards to these men who leap and bound on a giant elastic sheet because this is my first day off in two weeks (with a couple 30 hour calls in the rearview window); my soul is doing high-flying aerials while my legs haven’t moved out of their pajama pants from their propped perch on the ottoman. I am hoping to win a Gold Medal today in the Not Moving and Personal Restoration category. I will only break the pose for the sake of a chocolate-covered caramel square.
Salted Caramel Squares
Adapted from Penzeys
Base:
1 Cup self-rising flour
1/2 Cup brown sugar
1 Cup oatmeal
1/2 Cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
pinch salt
Caramel:
1 14-oz. can sweetened
condensed milk
2 TB. honey
1 TB. butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Chocolate:
16 oz. dark chocolate
1 tsp. butter
1-2 tsp. sea salt
Directions
Preheat oven to 360°. In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, oats, butter, cinnamon (if using) and salt. Mix well on low. Press onto an ungreased rectangular baking sheet (about 10×14; a 9×13 pan would also work), about 1/4-inch thick. Bake at 360° for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool a bit.
For the caramel, combine the milk, golden syrup and butter in a small heavy saucepan. Heat over medium, stirring constantly, until big bubbles form and the mix is thickened and a light caramel color, about 8-10 minutes. Stir in the vanilla—adding it at the beginning will make it much harder to tell when the milk turns a caramel color. Pour and gently spread over the base. Return to the oven for 10 minutes. Let cool.
For the chocolate, melt the chocolate and butter using a double boiler or in a glass bowl placed over a pot of boiling water. Stir until melted. Pour and spread the chocolate over the cooled caramel. Sprinkle with the salt. Refrigerate until the chocolate has set, about 2 hours. Cut and serve or refrigerate the cut pieces in a cookie tin.
And the Gold for Not Moving goes to Izzy–
Second Place to Donatello Miletello, my favorite fat tabby.
And the Bronze to me.
Three cheers for the medalists in the Not Moving competition, and for Penzeys-inspired treats that look like the spot-on rich and indulgent treat for a very, very well-earned Dia de Siesta 🙂 Is the kitty yours and KP’s, or are you cat-sitting?