Caramel Slice (2024)

Salted caramel slice, made from scratch with simple pantry ingredients. These rich caramel bars feature a buttery shortbread base and gooey homemade caramel, all topped with a thick layer of luscious chocolate and a sprinkle of salt flakes. An Australian bakery favourite that is easy to make and impossible to resist!

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Easy to make – this slice consists of three simple layers that are super easy to put together.
• Basic ingredients – nothing fancy here. Just simple ingredients that you will find in your pantry, like sweetened condensed milk, golden syrup, sugar and flour.
• No runny caramel – it contains an easy caramel filling that sets firmly but is still rich and gooey, for perfect slices, every time.
• Versatile – it is perfect for serving at showers, parties and celebrations, but also easy enough to enjoy for afternoon tea with a cuppa.
• Skip the bakery – it tastes just like the old-fashioned caramel slice you’ll find in bakeries and shops. But it’s much better when you make it at home! Making it from scratch allows you to control the type of chocolate you use, the sweet/salty balance and cut it into the perfect serving size. It’s also cheaper and much tastier!

Ingredients you will need

**This post contains tips and instructions to achieve the best possible results. The photo above is a great guide for when you are in the supermarket, but for full ingredient quantities and methods, please scroll down to the detailed recipe card below!

• Plain flour – all-purpose flour is used to form the shortbread base. Be sure to sift it first, to prevent lumps. I recommend weighing the flour if you can, for accuracy. Using too much flour results in a dry base that will be too crumbly.

• Icing sugar – also called powdered sugar or confectioner’s sugar, icing sugar is used to add sweetness to the shortbread base, as well as giving it a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture.

• Melted butter – a key ingredient that provides richness and depth. Butter is used to bind the base and help set the caramel. If using salted butter, leave out the additional salt. If using unsalted butter, add additional salt to taste. Use real butter, rather than butter substitutes or margarine.

• Desiccated coconut – for texture and flavour in the biscuit base. Use desiccated (very finely shredded) coconut rather than thick shredded coconut.

• Brown sugar – to add richness and flavour (as well as structure) to the caramel filling.

• Sweetened condensed milk – the base of the caramel filling. It adds sweetness and richness and gives the caramel its gooey texture. Be sure to use sweetened condensed milk (rather than unsweetened) and make sure it is the regular, full-fat version. Low-fat or light condensed milk products won’t set as nicely and the filling will be runny and difficult to slice.

• Golden syrup – a thick, amber coloured syrup with a rich, toffee-like flavour. It is commonly used in baking in Australia and New Zealand and can be found in supermarkets or online. It adds a deep caramel flavour to the filling. I don’t recommend skipping this ingredient. If you can’t source it, leave it out or add another tablespoon of brown sugar or brown rice syrup (although the flavour won’t be quite the same).

• Chocolate – dark (semi-sweet) chocolate is used to top the slice. A tablespoon of oil helps to soften the chocolate, making it easier to cut without breaking. Choose a good quality eating chocolate that you know and love, for best results. I used Cadbury Old Gold Original (45% cocoa). While dark chocolate is generally used to cut through the sweetness of the slice, you can also use milk or white chocolate, if preferred.

• Salt flakes – to decorate and to balance the sweetness of the slice. Extra can also be added to the caramel filling, once cooked, to taste.

Step by step instructions

*Full ingredient list and amounts are found in the recipe card below.

Step 1 – Make the shortbread base;

Mix the flour, coconut, icing sugar and melted butter together in a mixing bowl until combined. The base will be crumbly, but this is normal.

Using the back of a metal spoon, firmly press the mixture into a lined, 20 x 20cm (8 inch) square baking tin until it forms an even, smooth layer.

Bake until the crust is slightly golden on the edges (around 12-15 minutes). Remove from the oven and cool while you prepare the caramel filling.

Step 2 – Prepare the caramel filling;

Continually whisk the condensed milk, butter, brown sugar and golden syrup in a saucepan over medium heat until the mixture thickens and becomes a light golden brown colour.

This process takes 5-10 minutes and should not be rushed. Heating the mixture too quickly can cause the caramel to burn.

Step 3 – Add the caramel to the slice;

Carefully pour the caramel over the cooled shortbread crust and spread with a spatula or spoon. Bake until the edges of the caramel turn golden (around 12-15 minutes).

Allow to cool for 20 minutes at room temperature. Sprinkle the top of the slice with some salt flakes, if desired.

Step 4 – Add the chocolate topping;

Melt the dark chocolate and oil in a microwave-safe bowl until smooth. Pour the chocolate over the top of the caramel layer. Refrigerate the slice until completely set (2+ hours). Once fully set, cut the slice into pieces and serve, or keep chilled in the fridge in an airtight container.

Expert tips

• Heat the caramel on medium-low heat. The caramel should thicken in 5-10 minutes. It can be tempting to increase the heat to speed up the process. But if the temperature is too high, the mixture can burn and cause pieces of burnt caramel to be visible throughout slice. The caramel can also catch and burn on the bottom of the pan, so continual whisking or stirring is important.
• Line the slice tray with baking paper and leave the sides overhanging to assist you in removing the slice at the end.
• You can use less chocolate on top if you prefer a thinner layer.
• Be sure to let each layer cool before adding the next, so you end up with 3 even layers.
• Sea salt flakes really enhance the chocolate flavour and balance the sweetness of the slice. I don’t recommend skipping it! Add a little sprinkle to the caramel layer before adding the chocolate for little bursts of salt to balance the sweet slice.

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