Chocolate Hazelnut Butterscotch Bars

Chocolate, butterscotch and hazelnuts?!!.......Um.... yes please.

I've never made butterscotch from scratch before so these were a whole new experience for me. It's delicious, it has a real buttery, almost creamy taste and with the crunch of the hazelnuts and chocolate topping. I was in heaven.

I was unsure as to what to use for a base so I went for the safe option of a biscuit ( So glad I did ). The base is a very light crumbly biscuit which I think complimented the butterscotch perfectly. These bars are so versatile. Next time I plan on making them with chocolate covered raisins or maybe some walnuts :)

 

Recipe for Chocolate Butterscotch Bars

Makes 24

Ingredients

For the biscuit :

• 225g plain flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 150g plain chocolate
• 115g unsalted butter
• 50g light muscovado sugar
• 2 tbsp ground almonds

For the Topping :

• 175g unsalted butter
• 115g caster sugar
• 2 tbsp golden syrup
• 175ml condensed milk
• 150g whole toasted hazelnuts
• 225g plain chocolate

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 160°C. Line your baking tin ( I used a 12 x 8 in). Sift your flour, baking powder into a large bowl. Melt your chocolate over a saucepan of simmering water or in the microwave if you wish.
2. Rub the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs, then stir in your sugar. Work the melted chocolate and ground almonds into the mixture to make a light, crumbly biscuit dough.
3. Spread your dough into the tin. Using a spatula or the back of a spoon, press it down evenly into the sides and corners. Bake for 25-30 mins until firm. Leave to cool in tin.
4. To 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. Pour over your biscuit base. Be careful, This stuff is sooooo hot! Leave to cool and set.
5. Melt your chocolate and spread over your butterscotch layer, then leave to set again. Once cooled,cut into bars.

Note : If you want to toast your own hazelnuts. Preheat your oven to 200°C, spread hazelnuts on a baking tray and roast for 5 mins. Keep on eye on them as they will burn easily. After 5 mins or so remove them from the oven and place them in a fine sieve. Give the sieve a good shake and the skins just come right off.

Enjoy!

Shirley x