Fudge Filled Walnut-Oatmeal Bars

Ingredients

• Oatmeal dough: 1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
• Oatmeal dough: 2 cups packed light brown sugar
• Oatmeal dough: 2 eggs
• Oatmeal dough: 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Oatmeal dough: 1/2 teaspoon powdered instant coffee (optional)
• Oatmeal dough: 3 cups quick-cooking oats
• Oatmeal dough: 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• Oatmeal dough: 1 teaspoon baking soda
• Oatmeal dough: 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Oatmeal dough: 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts, divided
• Chocolate Filling: 1 tablespoon butter or margarine
• Chocolate Filling: 3 1/2 bars (1 ounce each) HERSHEY’S Unsweetened Baking Chocolate, broken into pieces
• Chocolate Filling: 1/2 cup sugar
• Chocolate Filling: 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
• Chocolate Filling: 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Beat the softened butter and brown sugar in a large bowl until creamy. Add the eggs, vanilla, and instant coffee, if desired; beat well. Stir together the oats, flour, baking soda, salt, and 1 cup walnuts. Gradually add to the butter mixture, beating until blended. The dough will be stiff; stir in the last part by hand if needed.
2. Remove 2 cups of dough and set aside. Press the remaining dough onto the bottom of a 15 1/2 × 10 1/2 × 1-inch jelly-roll pan.
3. Make the chocolate filling: melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the unsweetened chocolate and cook, stirring occasionally, until smooth and completely melted. Stir in the sugar and sweetened condensed milk. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Spread the filling over the dough in the pan. Sprinkle the reserved dough over the filling, then sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup walnuts.
4. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the top is golden. The chocolate filling will still be soft. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, then cut into bars.