Caramel Slice

(Updated recipe 2023)

An easier, just as delicious, recipe to follow.

Caramel slice is an iconic Nonna Lizzie dessert (she says confidently!). Almost everyone I know, who has dined or hosted us, has tasted it. Maybe I just have over-polite friends, but everyone seems to love it.

I’ve been making my old caramel slice recipe for over 10 years now. But I always found there was so much wastage with the biscuit base. It didn’t stick together great and there’s a lot of crumbs left over on the tray. Although I LOVE the crumbly biscuits, I wanted to find an easier way to make the base without the biscuits. Here’s the updated recipe I’ve made for Christmas.

Ingredients

Base

  • 1 cup all purpose flour

  • 1/2 cup brown sugar

  • 1/2 cup desiccated coconut 

  • 125g unsalted butter (melted)

  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup 

Caramel

  • 1 can condensed milk (395g)

  • 1.5 tablespoons butter

  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup

Chocolate Topping

  • 200g of your favourite milk chocolate (roughly chopped)

  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil.

Method

Base

  1. PRE HEAT oven to 160 deg fan. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

  2. MIX base ingredients all together, then firmly place on a tray. I usually spread it out across 22cm x 32cm.

  3. BAKE base for 12 minutes until golden. Let it cool for at least 30 minutes.

Caramel

4. PRE HEAT oven to 140 deg fan.

5. MELT the butter in a pan on low to medium heat until it begins to caramelise, this approximately takes around 3-5 minutes.

6. ADD in the condensed milk and maple syrup once the butter begins to brown and mix continuously for 5-7 minutes until it bubbles.

7. POUR the caramel onto the base and bake for 12 minutes. Let it cool for 15 minutes.

Chocolate

8. PLACE a bowl in a saucepan of water on low to medium heat.

9. MELT the chocolate and coconut oil in the bowl by stirring continuously. Approximately takes 7 minutes.

10. POUR chocolate over the caramel and let it cool at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Then place in the fridge for at least an hour, or even overnight. Store in the fridge.

Enjoy with a cup of coffee or tea… also perfect for that 3pm snack!

Tips

  • Let the base cool down for at least 30 minutes, it will help create a ‘neater’ line when you add the caramel on top. This also applies to the caramel before adding the chocolate on top.

  • Make sure the butter is melted and begins to brown before adding the condensed milk into the pan. You don’t want it burning, but you want a bit of caramelisation from the butter.

  • Continuously mix the caramel and scrape the bottom of the pan whilst mixing. Once you see the whole pan bubbling it will be ready to bake. If you don’t let it bubble the caramel will be too gooey and soft once baked.

  • Don’t forget to reduce the oven heat from 160 deg fan (for the base) to 140 deg (fan) for caramel.

  • Let the chocolate set on the caramel at room temperature for at least 3o minutes. Then you can put it in the fridge.

  • When you’re ready to cut the caramel slice, leave it to ‘thaw’ at room temperature for 15 minutes. Otherwise the chocolate will make have cracked lines.

Lizbeth Pal-DevelterComment