Anzac Caramel
 Chocolate Slices

One Tin Bakes by Edd Kimber

Anzac Cookies? Love them! Millionaire’s Shortbread? Grew up eating them. But what happens when you mash the two together? Utterly wonderful, joyous things, that’s what. When making the caramel, ignore your phone for a minute; Instagram® can wait, the caramel needs your total and undivided attention. Anzac cookies, if you haven’t come across them, are Antipodean favourites originally made to raise money to support the war effort in the First World War.

[Ed. note: All recipes from this book are baked in a 23 X 33cm (9 X 13in) cake tin (commonly used for brownies) Edd’s preferred pan and the one he recommends in the book is the Nordicware 9x13 pan made of aluminum for superior heat conductivity which produces consistent, evenly browned baked goods every time.]

Ingredients:

For the Anzac base

85g (3oz / 2/3 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour

60g (2 1/4 oz / 3/4 cup) rolled oats

40g (1 1/2 oz / 1/2 cup) desiccated coconut

1/4 teaspoon flaked sea salt

75g (2 3/4 oz / 2/3 stick) unsalted butter

2 tablespoons golden syrup or clear honey

100g (3 1/2 oz / 1/2 cup and 2 teaspoons)
light brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

For the caramel filling

150g (5 1/2 oz / 1 1/3 sticks)
unsalted butter

397g (14oz) can condensed milk

3 tablespoons golden syrup or
clear honey

110g (4oz / 1/2 cup) light brown sugar

For the topping

200g (7oz) dark chocolate, melted

flaked sea salt, for sprinkling (optional)

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas Mark 4. Line the baking tin with a piece of parchment paper that overhangs the two long sides of the tin, securing in place with metal clips. 

To make the base, combine the flour, oats, coconut and salt in a large bowl. Place the butter, golden syrup or honey and sugar in a saucepan and cook over a medium heat, stirring every now and then, until melted. Remove from the heat and add the bicarbonate of soda and 1 tablespoon of water, stirring together for a minute until the mixture is a little foamy. Pour this over the oat mixture and mix together until well combined. While the Anzac mixture is still warm, tip it into the prepared tin and press into a flat and even layer. 

Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until golden brown and a little darker around the edges. Leave to cool in the tin while you make the caramel. 

Add all the caramel filling ingredients to a medium-sized saucepan and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and continue to stir, scraping the bottom of the pan regularly to prevent catching, for 10–15 minutes, until the mixture has thickened and darkened a shade or two. Remove from the heat and
pour the caramel over the base. This mixture is very hot, so ease it into the corners by lifting and tilting the tin as needed. Set aside to cool for 30 minutes.

For the topping, pour the melted chocolate over the caramel and use an offset spatula to spread it out evenly. Pop the tin in the refrigerator and leave for a couple of hours to allow everything to fully set (if you want to sprinkle with sea salt, allow the chocolate to turn a little tacky before sprinkling, otherwise it will sink into the chocolate).

To serve, remove from the tin using the parchment paper and cut into squares. I keep these in the refrigerator, as the chocolate isn’t tempered, but I allow them to come to room temperature before serving as the textures are at their best. 

Store in a sealed container for 4–5 days.

Reprinted with permission from One Tin Bakes. Copyright © 2020 by Edd Kimber. Published by Kyle Books.