Oatmeal Chocolate Fudge Layer Bars Recipe

If you're going to fall off the wagon (the diet one, that is), you might as well do it with flair. I didn't stop at flair, however. I comfortably moved on to gusto and pizzazz. What happened to the New Year's Recipes for Weight Loss & Healthy Living?

The day started with an innocent trip to the grocery store. Make a list and stick to it, the weight-loss experts say. Well, I made a list. That's where my good intentions ended. One does not receive credit for making a list if one walks out of the grocery store with chocolate, butter, peanut butter chips, and brown sugar. The shopping trip ignited into a full-fledge baking inferno. From Chocolate & Peanut Butter Meringue Cookies to these layer bars, my oven got the workout that I badly need.
The original recipe for these tantalizing bars comes from The America's Test Kitchen Family Baking Book. The adaptations I made, such as adding nutmeg and changing the types of oats used, were minor. The crust and topping, golden brown once baked, are chewy and pleasantly sweet, while the filling is rich and velvety. Well worth the guilt.

Crust and Topping:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F, with rack placed in the middle of the oven. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with foil, leaving a 2-inch overlap on the sides. Spray the foil with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup old-fashioned oats, 1 cup packed brown sugar, ¾ cup all-purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg and ⅛ teaspoon salt.

In medium bowl, melt 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter. Stir the butter into the oat mixture.

Reserve ¾ cup of the oatmeal mixture for the topping.

Pour the rest of the oatmeal mixture into the prepared pan and press it firmly until it forms a flat crust.

Bake the crust until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool completely on a rack, about 1 hour.

Filling:
In a medium bowl, combine ¼ cup all-purpose flour, ¼ cup packed brown sugar, 2 teaspoons instant espresso or instant coffee, and ¼ teaspoon salt.

Combine 9 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips and 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in a medium bowl.

Melt in the microwave, stirring frequently, 1 to 3 minutes. The mixture will be thick. Scrape the chocolate mixture into a large bowl and let cool for about 10 minutes.

Whisk in 1 egg until thoroughly combined. Stir in the flour mixture until just combined.

Spread the chocolate mixture over the cooled crust and crumble the reserved oatmeal mixture over top.

Bake at 325 degrees F until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs attached and the sides of the filling start separating from the sides of the pan, 25 to 35 minutes.

Place the pan on a cooling rack and let rest until completely cool, about 2 hours. Holding onto the foil edges, remove the bars from the pan and cut into 16 squares.

Oatmeal Chocolate Fudge Layer Bars
Adapted from America's Test Kitchen

Crust and Topping:
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1 cup packed brown sugar
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoon (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

FIlling:
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoon instant espresso or instant coffee
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups (9 oz) semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 large egg

Crust and Topping:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F, with rack placed in the middle of the oven. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with foil, leaving a 2-inch overlap on the sides. Spray the foil with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg and salt. Stir the melted butter into the oat mixture. Reserve ¾ cup of the oatmeal mixture for the topping. Pour the rest of the oatmeal mixture into the prepared pan and press it firmly until it forms a flat crust.

Bake the crust until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool completely on a rack, about 1 hour.

Filling:
In a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, instant espresso or instant coffee, and salt.

Combine chocolate chips and butter in a medium bowl. Melt in the microwave, stirring frequently, 1 to 3 minutes. The mixture will be thick. Scrape the chocolate mixture into a large bowl and let cool for about 10 minutes. Whisk in egg until thoroughly combined. Stir in the flour mixture until just combined.

Spread the chocolate mixture over the cooled crust and crumble the reserved oatmeal mixture over top.

Bake at 325 degrees F until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs attached and the sides of the filling start separating from the sides of the pan, 25 to 35 minutes.

Place the pan on a cooling rack and let rest until completely cool, about 2 hours. Holding onto the foil edges, remove the bars from the pan and cut into squares.

Makes 16 bars.

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