These Nutella Oatmeal Bars are everything you could want from a sweet treat. They have a crisp base, a deliciously creamy, flavour-filled centre of Nutella and a crumble topping. If you love an easily-made snack that the whole family will enjoy, then this recipe is for you. You can have them prepared and baked in 30 minutes. The hardest part is waiting for them to cool down. It doesn’t come much easier than this!
⅓cup(50 g) hazelnuts - with the skins removed, roughly chopped
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 175 Degrees C (350F).
Line a 20 x 20cm (8 x 8 inch) baking dish with non-stick baking paper. (Allow an overhang with the baking paper - it makes it easier when removing the slice!)
In a medium-sized bowl, add the flour, rolled oats, salt and baking soda. Mix well.
Melt your butter. Add this to another bowl, and combine with the vanilla and brown sugar.
Combine the contents of both bowls, and mix well.
Firmly press about ¾ of the mixture into the tin. (You'll need to reserve about 100 g/a firmly packed ½ cup of the mixture).Bake for 10 minutes.
In a small bowl, mix the Nutella and the chopped nuts. If your Nutella is super thick, you can zap it in the microwave for a few seconds to make it a little runnier.
Remove the base from the oven, and immediately spread over your Nutella and hazelnut mixture. Crumble the remaining mixture, using your fingers, over the top of the Nutella.
Return to the oven, and bake for a further 10 minutes or until the topping is cooked through and a light golden brown.
Remove the bars from the oven, and allow them to cool for 30 minutes on your bench.
Put the slice in the fridge, and chill for a further 30 minutes or until completely cool. Cutting the bars while too warm will cause them to fall apart. Remove the slice from the tin, and cut the slice into squares.
Notes
Flour: use a gluten-free all-purpose/plain flour if you require it- this has been tested and works perfectly.
Rolled oats: use gluten-free oats if required.
Nutella: If your Nutella is quite thick, give it a quick stir in a bowl or microwave for a few seconds before spreading it over the base. The heat from the base of the bars will also help the Nutella to spread more easily.
Measurements: for the most accurate measurements when baking, we suggest you weigh your ingredients.
Chill the bars: the Nutella Bars really need to chill before cutting, otherwise, they will fall apart.
Storage: store in an airtight container in a cool location. The bars will be at their best for the first two days but will last for four (they will just soften a little). If the weather is warm, keep them in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week. Remove them about 10 minutes prior to serving.
Freezing: allow the bars to cool completely, and then put them in an airtight container before placing them in the freezer. If storing them in layers, place a sheet of baking paper between the layers so they don’t stick. Thaw them at room temperature. Freeze for up to two months.