Chocolate Malt Bars

I grew up with a big green can of Milo in my kitchen cupboard. Is that stuff available here or is that a Canadian/European thing? All I know is that my local grocery store doesn’t sell it so I have to use Ovaltine instead.

Well in case it’s a Canadian childhood thing, Milo is a lot like Ovaltine, AKA chocolate malt mix, best enjoyed dissolved in a mug of hot milk.

Or, added to cookie bar dough.

My memories about Milo from my past are conflicted. I have nostalgia associated with the stuff, but I also know I wasn’t in love with it like another chocolaty substance from my past.

I think it was because when I was a kid I didn’t understand how there could be various levels of depth to a particular flavour.

If something was supposed to be “chocolaty”, either it was SUPER chocolaty, or it wasn’t chocolaty enough.

There was no inbetween as far as I was concerned.

So I had affection for Milo because it contained chocolate, but I never thought it had enough chocolate compared to its hot chocolate cousin.

The malt flavour was also a minus in my poor naive brain, because it was a flavour that wasn’t chocolate.

I’m older now. Wiser. I understand that, yes, chocolate is delicious, but so is malt. Together, it can be wonderful, and somehow even more warm and cozy than hot chocolate when served in a gigantic coffee mug.

Or as I was saying… in a cookie bar.

Trevor’s first declaration after consuming one (or was it three?) of these bars was “…I might actually like these better than brownies. Maybe. I don’t know.”

That is big talk. Several days later, he admits what he really meant was that he likes them just as much as brownies. He can’t rank them because they “fulfill different needs”. He also claims that Blondies fit into a third category that they’re at the top of, all categories standing separate from one another.

I understand what he’s saying.

Why would you ever pick just one before the particular craving strikes? For chocolate, brown sugar, or something inbetween? When you’re odd like me and it strikes for chocolate malt, grab some Milo or Ovaltine and some milk… or if you’re willing to bake, a mixing bowl.

It’ll be worth it. Brownie worth it.

Adapted from Buns In My Oven

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 3/4 cups packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup chocolate malt mix (Ovaltine or Milo works great)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chunks
• 1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips

Directions

1. Line a 9×13 inch pan with parchment paper. Preheat the oven at 375 degrees F.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter, brown sugar, chocolate malt and vanilla, approx. 2 minutes.
3. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until well combined.
4. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt and whisk to combine. Gradually add to the wet mixture and mix well.
5. Stir in chocolate chunks and chips.
6. Press evenly into prepared pan and bake for 28-30 minutes or until golden. Let cool completely on a cooling rack. (Beware cutting them before cool, they will be extra gooey and won’t stay together very well. They are VERY delicious in this state, but they’re also delicious after this state and will look a lot prettier!)

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