Samoa Bars

It's girl scout cookie time again. I've already got my order in! Samoas are my favorite by far. The caramel coconut combined with the cookie crunch and the chocolate just do me in (lots of "C's" in that sentence :) So when I stumbled upon a recipe for Samoa Bars over on Baking Bites site, I could not pass it by. Although they are a little complicated to make, they are worth the extra effort. The only thing I'd change is baking the cookie base a little longer. Mine fell apart on me during the cutting and transferring to the plate. Oh well, I'll eat it anyway I can get it!

Samoa Bars

Cookie Base:

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup butter, softened

1 large egg

1/2 tsp. vanilla

2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 tsp salt

Topping:

3 cups shredded coconut

12 oz package chewy caramels, unwrapped

1/4 tsp salt

3 tablespoons milk

10 oz. dark or semi sweet chocolate (chocolate chips work)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 9 x 13 inch baking pan.

In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually add flour and salt at low speed until mixture is crumbly. Press evenly into pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until browned on edges. Be sure middle is baked well and almost solid to the touch.

Turn oven down to 300 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread out coconut. Place in oven and toast for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Coconut should be golden in color. Set aside to cool.

Place caramels into a microwave safe bowl with the milk and salt. Microwave on high for 4 minutes, stirring as needed until caramels melt. Stir until smooth then stir in the coconut. Use a spatula dipped in water to help blend the ingredients.

Place coconut topping in spoonfuls over the cookie base. Spread with spatula or spoon dipped in water. Let topping cool.

Melt chocolate in a small bowl and using a sandwich bag, pour chocolate into bag and snip one corner. Drizzle chocolate across topping. Cut into bars with a pizza cutter dipped in water. With remaining chocolate, dip the base of the bars until coated. Place on wax or parchment paper until cool.

"Badges mean nothing in themselves, but they mark a certain achievement and they are a link between the rich and the poor. For when one girl sees a badge on a sister Scout's arm, if that girl has won the same badge, it at once awakens an interest and sympathy between them."

-Juliette G. Low