Chocolate caramel bars recipe

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Use cooking spray on an 8x8 or 9x9 inch baking pan - if you want more, thinner pieces, use a 13x9 inch pan.

Ingredients: 

1 box German chocolate cake mix

1/2 cup melted butter

2/3 cup evaporated milk, separated

The recipe I used to use called for one 14 ounce package vanilla caramels, unwrapped, but the bags of caramels are now 11 oz, and these are better with more caramel then less. If you can find them, get these Kraft caramel baking bits, which are just unwrapped caramel.

1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

12 oz bag semisweet chocolate chips 

In a mixing bowl, combine cake mix, melted butter and 1/3 cup of the evaporated milk - beat at medium speed until smooth. Spread half the dough in prepared baking pan and set aside the rest.

In heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine caramels and remaining 1/3 cup evaporated milk. Cook and stir frequently over medium-low heat until smooth - set aside to cool slightly, then pour evenly over the dough layer in pan. Sprinkle with nuts, if using, and chocolate chips. Crumble remaining dough evenly over nuts and chocolate pieces. It won't spread evenly, but that's fine.

Place on center rack of 350 degree oven. Check at 25 minutes - maybe a an extra few minutes for the 8x8 pan. I like to cut these small because they're very rich.