In this season of excess, I have discovered a food and wine pairing that gives new meaning to the word "indulgence" - Tokaji Aszu and caramel oatmeal chocolate chip bars, otherwise known as "crack".  These caramel oatmeal chocolate chip bars are a favorite in our house and my girl requests them often.  I try not to make them too frequently, as they are ooey, gooey slices of evil that demand to be eaten whenever they are around.  But I succumbed this past weekend and made some.  Jason and I had an unopened bottle of 2001 Hetzsolo Tokaji Aszu in te refrigerator, so we decided to celebrate the season and open it.  And, of course, eat the evil cookie bars. 

Tokaji Aszu is a sweet wine from Hungary, made from grapes affected by noble rot, or Botrytis cinerea. The aszu berries are individually picked  and then stomped into a pasty consistency called aszu dough. The must or wine is then poured onto the aszu dough and then left for 24 to 48 hours.  The wine is then put into wooden casks or vats to complete fermentation and to mature, which usually takes several years.  Puttonyos is a unit used to indicate the sugar content – or sweetness – of the wines.  Aszu wines range from 3 puttonyos to 6 puttonyos, with 6 being the
sweetest. 

Since discovering Tokaji Aszu earlier this year, I've been a bit obsessed.  I  love everything about these wines, from the gorgeous rich color to the smooth, sweet, honeyed flavors.  This particular Tokaji Aszu has flavors of orange peel
and dried apricots, but also has a slightly salty finish - which I think is what  made it such a delicious pairing with the caramel.  And the dark choocolate that we used wasn't so sweet as to overpower the wine.  The combination was
incredible, but I did have to have a second glass and a second bar just to make sure.  Verdict: I was not wrong.

If you would like to try this at home, below is the recipe for Crack, or caramel oatmeal chocolate chip bars.  We've been making these for so long now, I no longer remember where the recipe originally came from, so my apologies to the creator for not giving recognition where it is due. These cookie bars are evil, addicting and downright delicious.  Don't say I didn't warn you!

P.S.  It is tradtion in my family that at Christmas time I make homemade English Toffee, which is also a bit like crack. I foresee the rich buttery toffee, with its sprinking of sea salt, being another good pairing with Tokaji Aszu.  I will consider it research and will report back. Happy holidays!

Caramel Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies  (or Crack, as they are known in our house)

1 cup plus 3 Tbs all-purpose flour
1 cup quick-cooking oats
 ¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar
 ¼ tsp salt
 ½ tsp baking soda
 ¾ cup butter, melted and cooled
 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
 ½ cup chopped pecans (optional)
 ¾ cup caramel ice cream topping

 Preheat oven to 350  F.
 1.  In large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup flour, oats, brown sugar, salt, baking soda and melted butter.  Blend at low speed to form crumbs.

 2. Press half the crumbs into bottom of an 11” x 9” pan; bake for 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with chips and pecans (if using). 
  
3.  In small bowl, blend caramel topping with remaining 3 Tbs flour.  Drizzle over the chips and nuts to cover. 
 
4.  Sprinkle remaining crumbs over caramel and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown.  Allow to cool.
Chill covered for 1 to 2 hours and then cut into bars. Store in airtight container.