I love caramel slice but am constantly disappointed by the thick-bottomed, chalky and bland mass-produced stuff you buy at many cafes around the place. Instead, when I can be bothered, I make my own… and it’s amazing (if I do say so myself). The recipe originally came from my Mum’s high school cookbook and I am eternally grateful to the Annesley College Mothers’ Club for sharing it. It is very simple to make, using very few ingredients, and is perfect for occasions when you’re asked to ‘bring a plate’. The hardest part is not eating it all in one sitting (which is why I often make a double batch).
Ingredients
Base:
185g plain flour
125g butter, softened
60g sugar
Caramel layer:
125g butter, chopped
125g sugar
2 tablespoons golden syrup
½ tin condensed milk
Topping:
150g dark cooking chocolate
Method
To make the base, grease and line a swiss roll tin (or lamington tin – whatever you have, it will just alter the thickness of each layer) and preheat the oven to 180°C (or 160°C fan-forced). Rub butter into flour, add sugar and press evenly into the prepared tin. Bake for 20mins or until golden brown.
To make the caramel, put the butter, sugar, golden syrup and condensed milk into a heavy-based saucepan and boil for 5 minutes, stirring all the time (pay particular attention and scrape the bottom of the pan, otherwise it will burn).
Pour over the base. Leave to cool for about an hour.
Finally, to make the topping, melt the chocolate in the microwave or on the stovetop. Pour over the caramel.
Once set, cut into even squares using a knife dipped in hot water between each slice (so it cuts easily and leaves the layers intact).
Enjoy!
Adapted from ‘Caramel Slice’ in the Annesley College Mothers’ Club Cookbook
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