Whenever we have after-school playdates or end-of-the-year class and office Christmas parties and everyone has to bring a plate, my boys and Nick take a box of these decadent Burnt Butter Caramel Slice to the soiree! A twist on the classic Chocolate Caramel Slice, this delightful afternoon treat was created as a result of a kitchen mishap. It is so incredible, this Burnt Butter Caramel Slice must be baked!
A delicious twist on the classic Chocolate Caramel Slice
Burnt butter has always had a fancy-schmancy ring to it for me. I have never tasted anything burnt butter, at least not anything that was pre-meditated. And that is exactly what happened when I set out to make this slice earlier this week. My goal was to make a classic chocolate caramel slice. That was pre-meditated. What happened after that wasn’t.
A chocolate caramel slice is one of the simplest sweet treats you will ever make and it is addictive and thoroughly fantastic. It only has three steps and if you follow them, you are golden. A no-brainer really. The first is a cookie layer that is baked for a set amount of time, the second is a caramel layer that is baked for a set amount of time. The third is a chocolate layer that is just poured over and left to set. But when you botch up layer number two, as I did, then you get Burnt Butter Caramel Slice. And it is far more divine than any Chocolate Caramel Slice I have ever tasted! So hooray for happy accidents!
Please pay heed to the size of the slice container and the baking times. The size is important to get the right height for the slice and the timing is important so as to not burn the caramel. You just want to bake it long enough to get those dark burnt bubbles on top. The recipe can be easily doubled or tripled. I hope you make these and love them! Please share your feedback in the comments below and don’t forget to share your burnt butter caramel slice photos with me on Instagram! Cheers!
Ingredients
for the cookie base
- 1 cup plain flour
- 1/2 cup desiccated coconut
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 125 g butter, melted
for the burnt butter caramel topping
- 1/3 cup golden syrup
- 125 g butter, melted
- 1 X 400g can sweetened condensed milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) /160°C (320°F) fan-forced. Grease and line a 20 x 20cm (base measurement) square slice tin or a 27.3 x 17.5cm (base measurement) rectangle slice tin with baking paper hanging over the edges.
- Place flour, sugar, butter and coconut in a bowl and mix well. Press the mixture thinly into the bottom of the prepared tin. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 15 minutes until golden. Remove from oven and cool for 15-20 minutes.
- Place the condensed milk, butter and golden syrup in a saucepan over very low heat. Stir constantly to avoid sticking and cook for about 5-7 minutes until the caramel has thickened and is smooth. If you feel that the butter rises to the top, remove from heat and continue mixing until smooth and creamy.
- Pour caramel mixture onto the baked cooled cookie layer. Bake in the oven for 18 to 25 minutes until the caramel is golden and starts browning in spots (burnt butter effect!). (I start watching the top from the 15-minute mark, if it is starting to brown very quickly, I take the slice out of the oven)
- Remove from the oven when you see it starting to brown on top. Cool for a couple of hours until firm and then slice and serve. Alternatively, wait 15 minutes until cooled slightly before slicing.