Oatmeal Chocolate Caramel Carmelitas

These amazing bars have a delicious oozing caramel in the middle layer, with nuts and chocolate chips then topped off again with the oatmeal topping. You cannot go wrong with oatmeal,nuts and chocolate chips. These bars will be gone before you know it. So simple to make and I am so glad I found this recipe..Delicious!!!



For Caramel Layer:

• 1 cup Heavy Cream
• 2 tablespoons Butter, Softened
• 3/4 teaspoon Sea Salt
• 1 1/2 cups Sugar
• 1/4 cup Corn Syrup
• 1/4 cup Water
• 3/4 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

For Oatmeal Crumb:

• 2 cups Whole Wheat Pastry Flour Or All-Purpose Flour
• 2 cups Oatmeal
• 1 1/2 cups Brown Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
• 1 cup Butter + 2 tablespoons (Softened) plus more for buttering pan.
• 1 1/4 cup Chocolate Chips
• 1/2 cup Chopped Nuts (optional)

Directions:

1. For Caramel Filling: Heat cream, butter and sea salt in a small sauce pan over medium heat until butter is melted. Set aside.
2. In a large sauce pan combine sugar, corn syrup and water. Cook over medium-high heat until caramel becomes a medium brown color. Do Not Stir Caramel, swirl the pan if needed.
3. Once sugar is a medium brown color slowly stir in warm cream. (Be careful sugar will boil up as cream is added.)
4. Continue to stir caramel for 3 more minutes. Remove from heat stir in vanilla and set aside.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9" x 13" baking dish and line with parchment paper and butter parchment paper.
6. In a large mixing bowl add flour, oatmeal, brown sugar, baking soda and salt. Mix on low speed until combined.
7. Cut butter into tablespoon sized pieces and add to the oatmeal crumb crust mixture, mixing on medium speed until combined and crumbly.
8. Pour half the oatmeal crumb crust mixture into parchment lined pan and press mixture firmly down.
9. Bake in preheated oven for 12 minutes.
10. Remove from oven and sprinkle with chocolate chips and nuts. Pour caramel sauce evenly over the top. Sprinkle remain oatmeal crumb mixture evenly over the top and bake an additional 20-22 minutes until lightly brown.
11. Cool Oatmeal Chocolate Caramel Carmelita's for 2 hours before cutting.

recipe and photo source from:
http://www.serenabakessimplyfromscratch.com/2013/10/oatmeal-chocolate-caramel-carmelitas.html