Carmelitas

See, a Carmelita is not your ordinary, run-of-the-mill treat. Rather, it is like a buttery oatmeal cookie that swallowed a caramel-filled chocolate bar and then got bibitty-bobitty-booed by the dessert fairy godmother and received an extra dose of deliciousness.

Everyone I have ever talked to who has tasted one has proclaimed it to be the most wonderful thing ever. I'm not exaggerating! I tasted my first Carmelita last year while I was visiting my sister. I liked it so much that I helped her eat the whole pan in two days. Just the two of us. A 9x13" pan. Two days. And we liked it, obviously. 

32 caramel squares, unwrapped

1/2 cup heavy cream

3/4 cup butter, melted

3/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1 cup flour

1 cup rolled oats

1 teaspoon baking soda

6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

Combine caramels and cream in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir until completely smooth; set aside.

In a separate bowl, combine melted butter, brown sugar, flour, oats, and baking soda.

Pat half of the oatmeal mixture into the bottom of an 8x8" pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Remove pan from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over crust.

Pour caramel mixture over chocolate chips.

Crumble remaining oatmeal mixture over caramel.

Return to oven and bake an additional 15-20 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned.

Remove from oven and cool completely before cutting.

*A stint in the fridge will help them cool off if you're pinched for time. They shouldn't be served cold, but all of that molten caramel takes a long time to cool down. They should be stored and served at room temperature.

**To make a 9x13" version, simply double the amounts.

http://luluthebaker.blogspot.com/2010/10/carmelitas.html