Carmelitas – Afternoon Delights!

At work potluck meals, there are choices to be made. I sample all the real food, but limit the dessert selections in the interest of remaining less zaftig. I had no interest in trying the boring looking medium-brown coloured no-name dessert and gladly passed it over for more recognizable fare. Surprise, surprise. The next day I sampled a leftover medium-brown coloured no-name dessert, and suddenly I needed a recipe, a few photos and a name. A little detective work led me to Chana Cohen-Ross, baker extraordinaire, who neglected to toot her own horn at the potluck. Leave it to Chana to allow us to discover her delectable Carmelitas in our own sweet time. Wow your family and friends with these treats. I’m pretty sure I will.

Carmelitas

• 2 c quick cooking rolled oats
• 2 c all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 c firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 t baking soda
• 1/2 t salt
• 1 c unsalted butter, melted
• 10 oz semi or bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped, or 1 1/2 c semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 c pecans or walnuts, lightly toasted and coarsely chopped
• 1 c caramel sauce

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 13×9″ baking pan. In a large bowl, combine oats, flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Mix well. Add butter, and mix well until blended. Gently press half the flour mixture into the pan, reserving the rest. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, distribute chocolate, nuts and then caramel sauce evenly on the bottom layer. Top with the rest of the flour mixture, and press gently to even it out. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until browned. Cool completely. Cut into 24 servings. Store in a tightly covered container.

Carmelitas Print Ready Recipe

Final notes:

• This recipe is from “Afternoon Delights” – I couldn’t agree more — by James McNair and Andrew Moore.
• There are many versions of Carmelitas: The Yummy Life, Pillsbury, Cooking Channel, Brown Eyed Baker,  Food and Wine, Blue Bonnets and Brownies and Rachel Ray to name a few. There’s a reason for this many tributes to this heavenly sweet treat.
  

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