Tuesday, May 3, 2016

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Fudge Bars



Oh, it is the week that every student and instructor dreads- it is Final's Week! Here I sit watching students stress about the testing that determines if they are successful in this class. While they contemplate the filtration of the kidney and the action of muscle contraction, I sit here and blog about fudge bars and sweets. For me, it is all fun and games until they turn in those tests, and then the burden is on me. The grading! Oh, the grading.... and the emailing to students who are begging for extra credit. And the emails that rarely appear that say thank you for all your help and effort. It kind of feels like I am in suspense of this great culmination of work but I have to wait and watch and sit. And then there will be a big rush to the finish!

For now, I am just going to sit back and dream about fudge bars and chocolate cupcakes and gingersnap ice cream and enjoy the calm before the grading storm.



Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Fudge Bars

These are a great sturdy little bar cookie. They are oatmeally so make sure to not overcook or they might get dry. But great to freeze and snack on later!

1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), melted
1 large egg

1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract1 1/2 cups old-fashioned whole-rolled oats (I used quick cooking)
1 cup all-purpose flour
pinch salt

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, for batter
half of one 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk 

1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, for sprinkling

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray; set aside.
In a large, microwave-safe bowl melt the butter, about 1 minute on high power.
Wait before adding the egg so you don't scramble it. Add the egg, brown sugar, vanilla, and whisk until smooth.
Add the oats, flour, and stir until just combined, don't over mix.
Dump three-quarters of the batter out into prepared pan, smoothing it with a spatula to form a crust; reserve remainder and set aside.
In a medium microwave-safe bowl, add 1 cup chocolate chips, pour sweetened condensed milk over the top, and heat on high power until the chips melt and mixture can be stirred smooth, about 45 to 60 seconds.
Evenly pour chocolate mixture over crust, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula. Work somewhat quickly because mixture begins to set up after a couple minutes.
Crumble the reserved oatmeal mixture over the chocolate layer. . The entire surface will not be covered and there will be some gaps.
Bake for about 25 minutes, or until top is set; it should be very pale in color for soft bars; golden colored means bars will be crunchier.
Evenly sprinkle bars with about 1/3 cup chocolate chips, or as desired. Chips will soften and melt slightly.  Set pan aside and allow bars to cool in pan for at least 1 hour before slicing and serving. Bars will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Recipe adapted from AverieCooks

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