Caramel Squares

Recipe View Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9-inch square baking pan. (5 minutes)

Recipe View In a large bowl, mix together the shortening and German chocolate cake mix until a smooth, even consistency is achieved. Stir in ⅓ cup of the evaporated milk and the chopped peanuts; mix well. The mixture will be quite crumbly. (10 minutes)

Recipe View Press half of the crumbly mixture firmly and evenly into the prepared baking pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 8 minutes. (8 minutes)

Recipe View While the base is baking, melt the unwrapped caramels and the remaining ⅓ cup evaporated milk in a double boiler over low heat, or in a microwave-safe glass bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring frequently. Continue until the caramel is completely melted and smooth. (10 minutes)

Recipe View Remove the partially baked base from the oven. Sprinkle the semisweet chocolate chips evenly over the warm base. Then, pour the melted caramel mixture over the chocolate chips, spreading it to the edges of the pan. Sprinkle the remaining cake mix mixture evenly over the caramel layer. (5 minutes)

Recipe View Return the pan to the preheated oven and bake for an additional 18-20 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the caramel is bubbly. (20 minutes)

Recipe View Remove from the oven and let cool completely in the pan before cutting into squares or bars. This allows the caramel to set properly. (60 minutes)