Are they a twist on the classic flapjack?

Kind of? They both have the traybake aspect, and oats play a heavy role. But unlike flapjacks, these don’t use golden syrup for their chewy, sugary flavour and texture. This is where our espresso caramel steps in!

We will also bake this recipe in two parts to allow the caramel to stay at a semi-molten level, which means with every bite, you’ll have a bit of caramel oozing out- get in!

Are they easy to make?

Don’t let the words ‘homemade caramel’ scare you off! I was a first-time caramel maker, too, but if you follow the instructions to the letter, it isn’t that terrifying, I promise! All you need is a medium heavy-based pan and the willpower to resist stirring the sugar and water while it is boiling away.

The not stirring aspect is vital. We want the sugar to melt at its own pace, with equal heat distribution. Stirring causes the sugar to clump together and crystalise, which leaves you with a grainy texture rather than a silky-smooth caramel.

Ingredients

Espresso Caramel

• 240ml extra thick cream/whipping cream (or double cream if you can’t find the extra thick or whipping option)
• 130g granulated sugar
• 3 Tbsp. water
• 2-3 tsp. espresso powder (finely ground)
• 5 Tbsp. unsalted butter softened
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Oat Bars

• 185g unsalted butter melted
• 135g packed light brown sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 120g plain flour
• 90g rolled oats
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 170g chocolate chunks/chips

& your homemade espresso caramel!

Method: Espresso Caramel

1. Heat the cream over a low to medium heat in a medium-sized pan.

2. Add granulated sugar and water in a separate large heavy-based pan. Bring to a boil, and leave (without stirring) for 8 minutes.

3. When your sugar mixture has a couple of minutes left, increase the heat on your cream pan and bring it to a boil.

4. Once the 8 minutes is up, lower the heat to medium-low (on your sugar pan), and slowly add the hot cream, stirring constantly to prevent any lumps. (The mixture will bubble, so be careful while stirring.)

5. Add the espresso powder and continue to stir until well blended.

Top tip- to stop your ground coffee from tasting gritty in the caramel, use a pestle and mortar to grind your coffee to an extra fine level!

6. Once your mixture is smooth, remove from the heat and add the butter until completely melted. Then, add the vanilla extract.

7. Transfer to a bowl and let cool until ready to use for the oat mixture.

Oat Bars

1. Preheat oven to 180°C, 160°C (fan). Line an 8 x 8-inch pan with greaseproof paper, allowing an overhang on all sides.

2. In a large bowl, add your melted butter, brown sugar, vanilla, flour, oats, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Stir together with a fork until combined.

3. Add half of this mixture to your pan and pat down with a fork until flat. (if you struggle to do this, try using a greased spoon or your hands!)

4. Bake for 10 minutes.

5. Remove from oven and sprinkle evenly with chocolate chips and then with the espresso caramel. I drizzled about half of the caramel until an even, thick layer formed.

6. Crumble the remaining oat mixture over the caramel and bake for 20-25 minutes until the edges are browned and golden. The bake will be wobbly due to the liquid layer of caramel- so don’t worry!

7. Remove from oven. Cool in the pan on a wire rack completely cool (at least 4 hours).

8. Top with a drizzle of the remaining espresso caramel.

9. Finally, remove from the tin and cut into bars/squares!

10. Dive right in!