Oatmeal Fudge Bars

How do i describe these bars?

A chewy cookie base, a dense fudge filling with just a sprinkling of streusel over the top.

While the cookie base of oatmeal and brown sugar was delicious, the filling was absolutely divine. It’s lusciously thick, fudgy with just a hint of espresso.

That hint of espresso did it though. It took these bars over the edge to freefall wonderfulness, so please don’t leave that out.

But  thanks to my erronous judging skills,  i had to bake this twice to get it right.

You see, the recipe called for a 12 minute bake on the base oatmeal cookie layer. However, by the end of the 12 minutes, my cookie base still looked very wet and raw.

I decided that it needed extra baking time.

I let it stay in the oven for another 5 minutes,

then 10,

then 15.

Needless to say, the dough never got dry, i don’t think they are supposed to.

After about 20 minutes of staring at a wet cookie dough that never seemed to get any drier, i gave up and proceeded with fudge and the rest of the recipe.

Unfortunately, all that extra oven time really killed the crust which turned out super hard and pretty much inedible.

But i wasn’t about to give up there. NO sireee. For the fudge, even at its first attempt was already a star in the making.

I attempted the recipe a 2nd time the next day, this time, ignoring my flawed judgement and sticking to the recipe for all the stated baking times.

And boy, did i get a winner.

The shortened baking time made a really good chewy base this time. A very delightful chocolate fudge bar to say the least

Oatmeal Fudge Bars (Recipe taken from Sarah)
from America’s Test Kitchen Holiday Cookies 2010

1 c. quick-cooking oats
1 1/4 c. light brown sugar
1 c. flour
1/4 t. baking powder
1/4 t. baking soda
3/8 t. salt
10 T. butter, 8 T. melted and cooled
2 t. instant espresso or instant coffee
1 1/2 c. semisweet chocolate chips
1 large egg

1.  Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325°.  Line 8″ square baking pan with foil, allowing excess to hang over pan edges.  Grease foil.  Combine oats, 1 c. brown sugar, 3/4 c. flour, baking powder, baking soda, and 1/8 t. salt in bowl.  Stir in melted butter until combined.  Reserve 3/4 c. mixture for topping.  Sprinkle remaining mixture into prepared pan and press into even layer.  Bake until light golden brown, about 12 minutes.  Cool completely, about 1 hour.  Keep oven on.  (I didn’t let mine cool an hour and it was fine.)

2.  Combine remaining 1/4 c. flour, remaining 1/4 c. brown sugar, instant espresso, and remaining 1/4 t. salt in bowl.  Melt chocolate chips and remaining 2 T. butter in large bowl and cool slightly.  Add egg and whisk until combined.  Stir in flour mixture until just incorporated. Pour filling over cooled crust and sprinkle with reserved oatmeal mixture.  Bake until tooth pick inserted into center comes out with few crumbs attached, 25-30 minutes.  Cool completely on wire rack, 2 hours.  Using foil overhang, lift bars from pan and cut into squares.