Chocolate Butterscotch Bars -

Chocolate Butterscotch Bars

Ingredients

225g/8oz/2 cups plain flour
2.5ml/ ½ tsp baking powder
150g/5oz plain chocolate, chopped
115g/4oz/ ½ cup unsalted butter, diced
50g/2oz/ ⅓ cup light muscovado sugar
30ml/2 tbsp ground almonds

For the topping:

175g/6oz/ ¾ cup unsalted butter, diced
115g/4oz / ½ cup caster sugar
30ml/2 tbsp golden syrup
175ml/6 fl oz/ ¾ cup condensed milk
150g/5oz/1¼ cups whole toasted hazelnuts
225g/8oz plain chocolate, chopped into small pieces

Details

Makes: 24

Method

1   Pre-heat oven to 160^°C/325^°F/Gas 3. Grease a shallow 30 x 20 cm/ 12 x 8 in tin. Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water.

2   Rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs, then stir in the sugar. Work in the melted chocolate and ground almonds to make light biscuit dough.

3   Spread the dough roughly in the tin, then use a rubber spatula to press it down evenly into the sides and the corners. Prick the surface with a fork and bake for 25-30 minutes, until firm. Leave to cool in the tin.

4   Make the topping. Heat the butter, sugar, golden syrup and condensed milk in a pan, stirring until the butter and sugar have melted. Simmer until golden, then stir in the hazelnuts.

5   Pour over the cooked base. Leave to set.

6   Melt the chocolate for the topping in a heatproof bowl over barely simmering water. Spread evenly over the butterscotch layer, then leave to set again before cutting into bars to serve.

Related food category:

• Biscuits and Cookies
• Other