Oatmeal Fudge Bars

Oatmeal Fudge Bars
from The America’s Test Kitchen Baking Book

Makes 16 bars

Old-fashioned oats may be substituted for the quick-cooking oats, although the bars will be more chewy.

CRUST AND TOPPING
1 c. (3 oz.) quick-cooking oats
1 c. packed (7 oz.) light brown sugar
¾ c. (3.75 oz.) all-purpose flour
¼ t. baking powder
¼ t. baking soda
⅛ t. salt
8 T. (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

FILLING
¼ c. (1.25 oz.) all-purpose flour
¼ c. packed (1.75 oz.) light brown sugar
2 t. instant espresso or instant coffee
¼ t. salt
1.5 c. (9 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips*
2 T. unsalted butter
1 large egg

*Although they’re not semisweet, I used Ghiradelli 60% cacao chocolate chips, as they were what I had on hand and I prefer darker chocolate.

Step 1. For the crust and topping: Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 325 degrees. Line an 8-inch baking pan with a foil sling and grease the foil.
Step 2. Whisk the oats, brown sugar, flour, baking soda, and baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Stir in the melted butter until combined. Reserve ¾ c. of the oat mixture for the topping.
Step 3. Sprinkle the remaining oat mixture into the prepared pan and press into an even layer. Bake the crust until light golden brown, about 8 minutes. Let the crust cool completely on a wire rack, about one hour.
Step 4. For the filling: Whisk the flour, sugar, instant espresso, and salt together in a medium bowl. Melt the chocolate chips and butter together in the microwave, stirring often, 1 to 3 minutes. Transfer the chocolate mixture to a large bowl and let cool slightly. Whisk in the egg until combined. Stir in the flour mixture until just incorporated.
Step 5. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 325 degrees. Spread the filling even over the cooled crust and smooth the top. Sprinkle with the reserved oat topping. Bake the bars until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached and the filling begins to pull away from the sides of the pan, 25 to 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking.
Step 6. Let the bars cool completely in the pan, set on a wire rack, about 2 hours. Remove the bars from the pan using the foil, cut into squares, and serve.

These bars are decadent and delicious and are definitely on my list of desserts to make again. It only takes one little square to satisfy a sweet tooth, but you may find yourself going back for seconds as I did.