A favorite treat from Trucchi’s bakery department, Wheat Bars are fabled to have been the brainchild of an unsung lunch lady in the kitchen of Taunton High School, some time back in the seventies. (We imagine her sternly facing down a massive delivery of government-surplus butter, sugar, flour, and rolled oats, heroically transforming the raw materials into a substance irresistible to adolescents.) The attachment Tauntonians develop to these bars early in life persists as a yearning that may only be satisfied in the post-lunchroom years by a trip to Trucchi’s – or by making your own. Recipe courtesy of Trucchi’s.
- 1 pound butter, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2½ cups all-purpose Four
- 2½ cups rolled oats
For frosting:
- 16 ounces chocolate morsels
- 4 ounces (1 stick) butter
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 12” X 16” half-sheet pan (or 2 9” X 12” pans) by lining with parchment or buttering and flouring.
Cream the butter using a stand mixer. Add the sugar and beat until light. Beat in the eggs thoroughly. Blend in the flour and oats.
Bake for 30 minutes. If the center is still pale, turn the oven down to 325 degrees and bake for another 10 minutes. Allow the bars to cool in the pan while you make the frosting.
Put the frosting ingredients in a bowl over very hot, not boiling, water. Stir occasionally. When fully melted, spread evenly onto bars, and allow to cool thoroughly.
Makes 24 massive bars or 96 modest ones.
