Double-Chocolate and Caramel Bars (Cookie Exchange Quantity)

 

3

cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

3/4

cup packed brown sugar

2/3

cup baking cocoa

1

egg, beaten

1 1/2

cups firm butter or margarine

1 1/2

cups chopped walnuts

1

bag (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups)

48

caramels

2

cans (14 oz each) sweetened condensed milk

1

bag (6 oz) semisweet chocolate chips (1 cup)

1

teaspoon shortening or vegetable oil

• 1 Heat oven to 350°F. Line 15x10x1-inch pan with foil, leaving about 2 inches of foil hanging over sides of pan.
• 2 In large bowl, stir together flour, brown sugar, cocoa and egg. Cut in 1 1/4 cups of the butter, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until crumbly. Stir in walnuts; reserve 3 cups of the crumb mixture. Press remaining mixture firmly in bottom of pan; sprinkle with 2 cups chocolate chips. Bake 15 minutes.
• 3 Meanwhile, in heavy 2-quart saucepan, melt caramels with sweetened condensed milk and remaining 1/4 cup butter over low heat, stirring constantly. Pour over crust. Top with reserved crumb mixture. Bake about 20 minutes longer or until bubbly. Cool completely, about 2 hours.
• 4 In small microwavable bowl, microwave 1 cup chocolate chips and the shortening uncovered on High 1 to 3 minutes, stirring halfway through heating time, until melted and thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle over bars. For bars, cut into 12 rows by 6 rows.