Chocolate caramel squares

I've been working a lot lately so not had a lot of time for baking, and The Child was starting to taste the difference in her lunch box. Can't have that so needed something easy yet impressive. Choc caramel squares it was. I use stoneground wholemeal flour, because you can't taste the difference and makes me feel like there's some goodness in there. I'm pretty sure all the other stuff cancels out the good stuff, but what the hell.

The recent dearth of home-cooked cakes and biscuits means these were pounced on before the top layer of chocolate even had time to set.

Here's the recipe should you also wish to deceive yourself that these are good for you:

Base
. 1 cup stoneground wholemeal flour
. 1 cup coconut
. 1 tsp baking powder
. 1/2 cup raw caster sugar
. 120g unsalted butter

Caramel
. 100g unsalted butter
. 100g brown sugar
. 395g tin condensed milk
. 2 tbsps golden syrup
. 1 tsp vanilla extract

Chocolate
. 150g semi-sweet chocolate (I use one that's 61% cacao)


Set oven to 180 and grease and line a 30cm x 20cm baking pan.

. Melt butter for the base.
. Mix flour, coconut, baking powder, sugar and melted butter into a bowl.
. Press into pan and bake for around 10 mins, or until golden.
. Leave to cool.

. Put butter, brown sugar, condensed milk, golden syrup and vanilla into a saucepan.
. Stir and cook for around 5-10mins.
. Pour over base and bake for 10mins.
. Set aside to cool.

. Melt chocolate and pour over top.

. When chocolate is set, squares can be sliced. Don't rush the setting of the chocolate by putting the pan in the fridge as it can cause the chocolate to go cloudy.

See what others are making today here.