Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Hip Hugger Bars


And that's where they go! Straight to your hips! These are hip hugger bars! My in-laws gave me the recipe several years ago in a secret mission attempt to make me weigh 300lbs. Lucky for me it didn't work. Although, they are hard to resist!
These are a soft oatmeal base with a creamy chocolate layer and MORE oatmeal mix on top. They require butter, chocolate and sweetened condensed milk. AND a treadmill. OR strong willpower. Make them - try ONE - then give them away!

Hip Hugger Bars
Base
1c brown sugar
1/2c butter- softened to room temp, plus 1T DIVIDED
1 1/4c flour
1 egg
1 1/2c oatmeal (I use Quick Oats)
1/2t baking soda
1/4t salt
1t vanilla

Filling

12oz semisweet chips
1T butter (from above)
1 can sweetened condensed milk

1. Line a 9x13 with parchment paper. Set oven to 350.

2. Mix the first set of ingredients together in the usual fashion. Cream butter and brown sugar, add the vanilla, and egg. Then mix in the oats, flour, soda and salt..

3. Press 2/3rds said mixture into bottom of a parchment lined 9x13.

4. In a microwave safe bowl dump chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk and 1T butter. Microwave 1 minute, stir and continue to nuke until combined...stopping and stirring every 30 seconds.

5. Pour the most awesome mixture of chocolate onto the oatmeal base. Then break up the reminding 1/3rd over the top in little chunks. Covering what you can. It will spread- SOME.

* I've started to deviate from the recipe here. Lately I've been going back and mixing up a 1/2 batch of the oatmeal to put on top and spreading the entire initial batch onto a 9x13 to give it a deeper crust. Personally I like it that way. Just 1/2 the base recipe for the topping. To get the 1/2 egg it'd call for- I scramble one up and dump 1/2ish in. Scientific I know. But it's rather hard to screw up the recipe here trust me I can make this in my sleep!

6. Since we're back on track and we've 'sprinkled' the remaining topping on the chocolate layer pop that baby into the oven for 20-25minutes until the topping looks lightly golden.

7. Cool COMPLETELY on a wire rack before cutting. It makes a horrific mess if not. Trust me. Get a LARGE glass of milk and indulge later.

Makes 20ish bars. IF you are lucky enough to store - room temp in a sealed container up to 3 days is good.

9 comments:

Taylor said...

These look so good...I love desserts with oats in them, especially when they also have chocolate!

Rebecca (Indecisive Baker) said...

I agree! I'm constantly finding Oatmeal on sale- so the more ways to use them the better! These are one of my (and my husband's) favorite treats!

Pei-Lin said...

Hello! Found you on Foodgawker, I think ... Anyway, thanks so much for sharing your hip-hugger bars with us! You've brought back to me so much of my fond memories in the States. My American grandma makes these a lot for church events! Though she uses an old recipe by an Iowa lady, which she got from another church cookbook, the bars have become her signature! Your recipe looks similar to hers! Thank you!

Anonymous said...

I love the name! They sound awesome :)

Rebecca (Indecisive Baker) said...

Pei-Lin it's so funny you say Iowa lady- that's where my in-laws are from! Maybe it's an Iowa thing! LOL! Thanks for checking me out!

Deborah Dowd said...

Can I tell myself that the oatmeal adds fiber and lowers cholesterol? These look like an amazing indulgence!

padfoot_ said...

Hi, may I know what 1T (of butter) is equivalent to in grams? because we don't use that system in my country. thanks for the help!!

Bianca said...

how long do you bake it if you follow your deviation to give it a deeper crust?

Rebecca (Indecisive Baker) said...

I'd check it at 25 minutes. Probably go another 5-7. It's not a huge difference, but the same 'rule' still applies- golden brown.

Just re-reading this recipe makes me want to make them again!

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