Australian · Desserts

Caramel Slice Bars

A coconut and brown sugar base, a layer of golden condensed milk caramel and a topping of melted dark chocolate.

Not yet ratedThis recipe has no ratings yet 45 min hands on plus 2 hr Chilling Serves 16 servings Medium
Jump to Recipe Method

Don't Make These Mistakes

Stir the caramel constantly.

Pour it onto the hot base.

If your oven runs hot, check the base at 10 minutes.

Warm the knife for clean cuts.

Making Caramel Slice Bars

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  1. Heat the oven to 180°C / 355°F and line a 20 cm square tin. Mix the flour, coconut, brown sugar and melted butter, press into the tin and bake for 12 minutes.

  2. Cook the condensed milk, 100 g butter and golden syrup in a pan over medium heat for 8 minutes, stirring, until golden and thick.

  3. Pour the caramel over the hot base. Cool completely.

  4. Melt the chocolate with the oil and spread over the caramel. Chill for 2 hours, then cut into 16 bars with a hot knife.

Why It Works

What goes wrong most often with a caramel slice? The caramel is undercooked and runs when cut, or overcooked and sets like toffee.

Cook the butter, condensed milk and golden syrup over medium heat for 8 minutes, stirring all the time. It should turn the colour of peanut butter and leave a trail when you drag the spoon through. Do not stop stirring. Condensed milk catches on the base of the pan in seconds.

The base is flour, coconut, brown sugar and melted butter, pressed into a lined tin and baked at 180°C for 12 minutes until pale gold. Pour the hot caramel over the hot base so the layers fuse.

Melt the chocolate with the oil, spread it over the cooled caramel, and chill for 2 hours before cutting into 16 bars with a hot knife. Cut the slice while the chocolate is just set, because cold, hard chocolate cracks under the knife.

Leftovers, Reheating and Keeping

Keeps in the fridge for 5 days.

What to Serve Alongside

  • Flat white
  • Hot tea
  • Vanilla ice cream
  • Cold milk

Still Wondering?

How long does Caramel Slice Bars take to make?

About 45 minutes of hands-on work — 25 minutes of preparation and 20 minutes of cooking — plus 2 hours of Chilling, so allow 2 hours 45 minutes from start to finish. The recipe serves 16.

What are the key tips for making Caramel Slice Bars?

Stir the caramel constantly. Pour it onto the hot base. If your oven runs hot, check the base at 10 minutes. Warm the knife for clean cuts.

What should I serve with Caramel Slice Bars?

Flat white; Hot tea; Vanilla ice cream; Cold milk.

How should Caramel Slice Bars be stored?

Keeps in the fridge for 5 days.

Is Caramel Slice Bars suitable for a special diet?

This recipe is vegetarian. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.

How many calories are in Caramel Slice Bars?

About 346 kcal per serving, with 4 g protein, 42 g carbohydrate and 18 g fat. The figures are calculated from the ingredient list and are an estimate.

What's in a Serving

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.

346Calories
4gProtein
42gCarbs
18gFat
2gFibre
31gSugar
50mgSodium

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Written and tested by Turab

One person, one kitchen — no test kitchen, no team. How every recipe on this site is checked before it goes up.