or scroll for handy tips and a little nostalgia.
Peanuts, caramel and a buttery biscuit base make this slice one that’s been loved for decades.
Peanut Caramel Slice is a retro favourite that shows some flavour combinations just never go out of fashion.
I found it in two of my cookbooks from the 1980s. One is a Women’s Weekly cookbook and the other a community cookbook. Here, I’m sharing my tips and advice for making this sweet, crunchy slice.
The ingredients: Peanut Caramel Slice
Here’s the ingredient list for this slice:
- butter
- caster sugar
- brown sugar
- golden syrup
- unsalted peanuts
- egg
- plain flour
- SR flour
- custard powder
- salt.
You can find the quantities by scrolling through to the recipe card at the end of the post.
The method: Peanut Caramel Slice
This slice is made by baking the biscuit base, preparing the topping, adding the topping to the cooked base and then popping the entire slice back into the oven again.
You’ll need a slice tin of approximately 28 x 18cm, greased and lined with baking paper.
The step-by-step instructions are at the end of this post in the recipe card. However, here are a few tips that I want to emphasise:
- The biscuit base mixture is quite sticky. When pressing the biscuit base into the tin, use a sheet of baking paper on top of the mixture and the back of a metal spoon to smooth out the mixture in the tin.
- Start making the topping about 5-10 minutes before the base is ready to come out the oven. You want it to be ready to go when you remove the biscuit base from the oven. You then spread the topping over the hot base and return the slice to the oven to cook for a further 5 minutes.
- When making the topping, you’ll simmer the mixture for 3-5 minutes. For a more chewy topping, simmer more slowly and for less time. For a crunchier topping, simmer harder for longer.
The original Peanut Caramel Slice Recipe
The original recipe comes from a community cookbook, Lourdes Hospital Recipe Book 2nd edition. For the tested and tweaked version of the recipe, please keep scrolling to find the recipe card below this original recipe.
Peanut Caramel Slice
Ingredients
Base
- 125 grams butter
- 1/2 cup caster sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 cup plain flour
- 1/4 cup SR flour
- 2 tablespoons custard powder
- pinch salt
Topping
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon golden syrup
- 90 grams butter
- 125 grams roasted unsalted peanuts, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to moderate (175 degrees celsius, fan-forced).
- Grease a slice tin (approx 28 x 18cm) and line with baking paper, leaving paper overhanging at sides to assist with removal of slice later.
- Cream butter and sugar until the mixture becomes a lighter colour.
- Add egg and beat again until well combined.
- Fold sifted flours, custard powder and salt into the mixture to form a dough.
- Press into tin, using a sheet of baking paper on top of the mixture and the back of a metal spoon to smooth out the mixture in the tin.
- Bake for 15-17 minutes or until a light golden colour.
- About 10 minutes before the base is ready to come out the oven, start making the topping by placing brown sugar, golden syrup and butter in a saucepan. Melt these ingredients over low heat and then bring to a simmer. Simmer for 3-5 minutes. (For a chewy topping, simmer more slowly and for less time. For a crunchier topping, simmer harder for longer.)
- Stir roughly chopped peanuts into the topping mixture.
- Once base comes out of the oven, pour topping mixture over base and spread out evenly.
- Return slice to the oven and bake for a further 5 minutes.
- Allow to cool before slicing into squares with a sharp knife.