Because I love oatmeal in all of it’s various forms (well…I’m maybe not so big a fan of instant oatmeal I’ll admit. But I mean seriously people? Was this really a product that needed to get more convenient? I mean, you can cook quick oats in the microwave in like 2 minutes, and put on all the toppings you desire without all the processed crap, it takes basically the same amount of time to make and it’s cheaper. So really, I’m just not sure why instant oatmeal exists to be honest. That’s like the equivalent of someone saying to you “You know how pesky putting on your own socks in the morning is? What if I gave you a tool that you could use that would take just as long, but would help you put them on?”. Crazy right???!!! Oh wait, that’s actually a thing too if you can believe it. (yes, I understand there are people who legitimately would need such a thing, but you see my point). *le sigh*.)
Now where was I? Right, oatmeal, delicious all the time, any time in my opinion. Pure perfection for breakfast (or dinner, or lunch…snack? Basically anytime), and so awesomely versatile that it can make its way into all manner of sweet and savoury dishes. For me it’s an incidental side note that it also happens to be heart healthy, fibrous, yada, yada, yada [insert your desired health claim here]. If only there was a way to carry this deliciousness in your hand and have it be a complete (*cough – total lie*) meal. Oatmeal for breakfast and chocolate for dessert perhaps?Possibly also with a brimming mug of coffee on the side to give you that extra needed jolt in the morning? But how does one accomplish this miraculous feat of ingenuity? Bake oatmeal in a pan and pour mountains of mocha fudge on top you say??!! Where do I sign up? (obviously you sign up at the deliciousness factory. I mean, I know they say there are no stupid questions, but in this case, seriously people? Give your head a shake 😉 ).
I could wax poetic all day about oatmeal, so deep is my love (but “♪How deep is YOUR love, how deep is your love. How deep is your love? I really mean to learn ♪” Thank you Bee Gees, you always know just the right thing to say), but instead I will just gaze rapturously at my (terrible) photos of these bars and let them sing their own praises. I mean..look at that fudge!!! It’s the perfect yin to oatmeal’s yang (or the perfect yang to oatmeal’s yin? I don’t know what I’m saying, but you do right? RIGHT? Please stop me before I hurt myself 😉 ).
Basically what I’m saying is, make these bars. They’re an (oat)meal unto themselves 😉 .
Yield: 20 bars
Ingredients
Oatmeal Bar:
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 egg replacer
- 1 1/2 teaspoons molasses
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 3/4 cups old-fashioned oats
Chocolate Filling:
- 2/3 cups chocolate, roughly chopped (or chocolate chips is fine too)
- 1/3 cup canned coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350F and grease an 8×8 inch baking dish.
- In a medium bowl, beat together butter and brown sugar until they are fully incorporated together. Beat in egg replacer, molasses, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla.
- In a small bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and oats and beat in slowly to wet mixture.
- Firmly press about 2/3 of the oatmeal mixture into your baking dish
- In a microwaveable safe bowl, whisk pumpkin pie spice into the canned coconut and microwave until it just starts to bubble (39-60 seconds should be enough depending on your microwave).
- Stir in instant coffee until completely dissolved then pour chopped chocolate into bowl and allow to sit for about 2 minutes.
- Stir chocolate until you have a smooth ganach.
- Pour chocolate evenly over your oatmeal base (smoothing with a spatula, or just tilting the pan to get the base evenly coated).
- Drop the remaining 1/3 of your oatmeal mixture in little blobs over the top, covering as much, and as evenly, as you can.
- Bake in the oven for about 25-30 minutes, or until lightly browned.
- Allow to cool completely (ideally even refrigerating once it’s gotten to room temperature to allow the chocolate to set completely) before cutting.
- I liked them best from the refrigerator, but they are fine to be kept at room temperature as well.
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