White Chocolate Orange Dream Bars

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A white chocolate variation on the popular Dream Bar. (WINNIPEG FREE PRESS) Photo Store

From an anonymous reader who sent in five favourite recipes, we have a white chocolate variation on the popular Dream Bar.

White Chocolate Orange Dream Bars

250 ml (1 cup) golden shortening or margarine or softened butter

500 ml (2 cups) golden brown sugar, lightly packed

2 eggs

20 ml (2 tsp) vanilla

625 ml (2 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour

5 ml (1 tsp) baking soda

2 ml (1/2 tsp) cinnamon

750 ml (3 cups) large-flake oats (not instant or quick)

1x 300 ml can (1 1/3 cup) sweetened condensed milk

375 ml (1 1/2 cup) white chocolate chips

30 ml (2 tbsp) golden shortening

15 ml (1 tbsp) grated orange peel

150 ml (2/3 cup) chopped pecans or almonds

Preheat oven to 180C (350F). Grease a 38x25x2.5 cm (15x10x1 in) cookie sheet or jelly roll pan. In a large bowl, cream shortening with brown sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, beating after each addition, and vanilla. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and cinnamon, and gradually add to shortening mixture, beating until smooth. Stir in oats.

In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat sweetened condensed milk, white chocolate chips and 30 ml (2 tbsp) shortening over low heat, stirring often, until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in peel and nuts. Press 2/3 of oat mixture (about 1 L or 4 cups) into prepared pan, spread filling evenly over crust and sprinkle remaining oat mixture evenly over filling. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden and slightly crisped. Cool and cut into bars. Yields about 2 1/2 dozen. Bars freeze well.

Tester's notes: This version is not super-sweet and gooey like some Dream Bars. More like an oat crumble with a creamy middle, its subtle orange and white chocolate flavours give it more grown-up appeal. I think next time I'd line the pan with greased foil or parchment paper with an overhang, to make for easier removal and cutting.

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition December 16, 2011 D2