This delightful Tan Slice recipe is a classic Kiwi treat featuring a buttery biscuit base topped with a luscious caramel filling, finished off with a layer of rich chocolate chunks and shortbread crumble.
Delve into the world of New Zealand's beloved treats with our homemade Tan Slice recipe. Whether you're planning a special occasion or simply looking for a sweet indulgence, these caramel bars are sure to impress.
Table of Contents
Why you'll love this
Classic Kiwi Indulgence
The Tan Slice is a beloved classic in New Zealand. By preparing this homemade version, you'll be transported to the cozy cafes and bakeries of the Land of the Long White Cloud, experiencing a delightful taste of Kiwi culinary tradition.
Buttery Biscuit Base
The Tan Slice starts with a buttery biscuit base that adds a delightful crunch and richness to every bite. This combination of butter, sugar, and biscuit crumbs creates a perfect foundation for the layers of caramel and chocolate.
Velvety Caramel Filling
The heart of the Tan Slice is its velvety caramel filling. Made with sweetened condensed milk, butter, and golden syrup, it offers a smooth and indulgent texture that balances the flavors of the slice beautifully.
Ingredients and substitutions for the best Tan Slice
- Plain flour: Plain or all purpose works best here for a nice base and crumble topping, however, you could use bread flour in equal measure here if that’s all you have on hand. It is not recommended to use cake flour as this would be too fine and wouldn’t give our base a firm texture.
- Butter: Room temperature unsalted butter is used here, though salted butter would also work. Room temperature is best because it combines with the sugar and other base ingredients best.
- Vanilla extract: Vanilla extract acts as a flavor enhancer in the base and crumble which perfectly compliments the overall dish.
- Sweetened condensed milk: Full fat sweetened condensed milk is essential here because it will set perfect during baking.
- Golden syrup: The essential syrup needed to make these the traditional way, you could substitute with honey, agave syrup or brown rice syrup, if you prefer though.
- Chocolate: 56% dark chocolate was used here, though milk would work also. The best option is to use a chocolate bar over baking chocolate thanks to a high quality.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make Tan Slice:
Base: Toss the flour, salt, vanilla extract and butter into a bowl beat on low until the mixture and holds together when pressed in your palm.
1
Toss: ⅔'s of the mixture into your lined baking tin and press firmly until it is evenly packed.
Bake: Until ever so slightly golden.
Caramel: Stir the sweetened condensed milk, butter and golden syrup in a saucepan over low heat until thickened to a light custard texture.
2
Pour: Over the base and spread out evenly.
Chocolate chunks: Toss the chocolate chunks into the remaining crumble.
3
Scatter: Over the caramel unevenly.
4
Bake: Until golden on top.
Allow to cool: For at least 3 hours or preferably overnight.
Slice: Into even bars.
Serve up: Dig in!
Equipment needed to make this
Greaseproof paper: Lining your tin will make getting your Tan Slice out a breeze!
Stand or hand mixer: A stand mixer or hand mixer works best here to combine your base to really break down your butter and combine into one mixture.
Offset spatula: A small spatula helps smooth out shortbread base and caramel filling.
Baking tin: A 18x18 cm or 7x7 inch square baking tin works well here, though a rectangle tin would also work well. Note, the larger the tin from the one used here, the thinner your base and caramel will be.
Small saucepan: To make the caramel filling, you'll need to warm this through in a small saucepan.
Wooden spoon: For stirring that caramel whilst you heat it.
FAQ's for the best Tan Slice
Absolutely! While the traditional Tan Slice is delicious as is, you can add your own twist by incorporating ingredients such as nuts, coconut flakes, or dried fruits into the biscuit base or caramel filling to personalize the flavors to your liking.
Yes, Tan Slice is a great make-ahead dessert. It can be prepared in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. This makes these caramel bars an ideal treat for parties or gatherings.
Yes, you can freeze Tan Slice for future enjoyment. If you need to freeze it, wrap the slice tightly in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator before serving.
To ensure smooth and velvety caramel bars, it's important to cook the caramel mixture over low heat, stirring constantly until it thickens. This will help prevent any burning or graininess in the caramel.
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Tan Slice
Ingredients
Base
- 240 grams / 1 ½ cups plain flour
- 165 grams / 5.8 ounces butter softened
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 15 grams / ½ ounces chocolate roughly chopped
Caramel filling
- 200 grams / ½ can sweetened condensed milk
- 42 grams / 3 tablespoons butter cubed
- 25 grams / 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon golden syrup
Instructions
Base
- Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350F and line a baking tin with greaseproof paper.
- Place the flour, butter salt and vanilla extract into a bowl and beat on low until the mixture looks like a rough crumble and no piece of butter is larger than a pea.
- Press a portion of the mixture together in the palm of your hand, it should hold with only a few crumbs falling away.
- Set aside ⅓ of the mixture and pour the remainder into your tin, pressing down firmly until even.
- Place in the oven and bake for 12 minutes or until ever so slightly golden.
Caramel filling
- Meanwhile, place the sweetened condensed milk, butter and golden syrup in a saucepan over low heat.
- Stirring constantly until the mixture has thickened to a light custard texture, approximately 5 minutes.
- Pour the caramel over the base and spread out evenly.
- Toss the chocolate chunks into the remaining crumble and stir to combine
- Scatter over the caramel unevenly, leaving some pockets of caramel visible.
- Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until golden on top.
- Remove and allow to cool for at least 3 hours or preferably overnight.
- Slice into bars.
- Serve up and dig in!
Video
Notes
- Sweetened condensed milk: Full fat sweetened condensed milk is essential here because it will set perfect during baking.
- Golden syrup: The essential syrup needed to make these the traditional way, you could substitute with honey, agave syrup or brown rice syrup, if you prefer though.
- Chocolate: 56% dark chocolate was used here, though milk would work also. The best option is to use a chocolate bar over baking chocolate thanks to it’s higher quality.
- Baking tin: A 18x18 cm or 7x7 inch square baking tin works well here, though a rectangle tin would also work well. Note, the larger the tin from the one used here, the thinner your base and caramel will be.
- Make ahead: It can be prepared in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
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