Salted Caramel Squares as a Soul Trampoline

And a happy weekend to all. Nothing like eating French toast for breakfast at near noon while watching Men’s Trampoline Olympic finals. I’m feeling a strong sense of recognition in regards to these men who leap and bound on a giant elastic sheet because this is my first day off in two weeks (with a couple 30 hour calls in the rearview window); my soul is doing high-flying aerials while my legs haven’t moved out of their pajama pants from their propped perch on the ottoman. I am hoping to win a Gold Medal today in the Not Moving and Personal Restoration category. I will only break the pose for the sake of a chocolate-covered caramel square.

Salted Caramel Squares

Adapted from Penzeys

Base:
1 Cup self-rising flour
1/2 Cup brown sugar
1 Cup oatmeal
1/2 Cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
pinch salt

Caramel:
1 14-oz. can sweetened
condensed milk
2 TB. honey
1 TB. butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Chocolate:
16 oz. dark chocolate
1 tsp. butter
1-2 tsp. sea salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 360°. In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, oats, butter, cinnamon (if using) and salt. Mix well on low. Press onto an ungreased rectangular baking sheet (about 10×14; a 9×13 pan would also work), about 1/4-inch thick. Bake at 360° for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool a bit.

For the caramel, combine the milk, golden syrup and butter in a small heavy saucepan. Heat over medium, stirring constantly, until big bubbles form and the mix is thickened and a light caramel color, about 8-10 minutes. Stir in the vanilla—adding it at the beginning will make it much harder to tell when the milk turns a caramel color. Pour and gently spread over the base. Return to the oven for 10 minutes. Let cool.

For the chocolate, melt the chocolate and butter using a double boiler or in a glass bowl placed over a pot of boiling water. Stir until melted. Pour and spread the chocolate over the cooled caramel. Sprinkle with the salt. Refrigerate until the chocolate has set, about 2 hours. Cut and serve or refrigerate the cut pieces in a cookie tin.

And the Gold for Not Moving goes to Izzy–

Second Place to Donatello Miletello, my favorite fat tabby.

And the Bronze to me.