Cookie Collection Recipe 2

Okay, as promised last week, here is the recipe for bar cookies that are reminiscent of Girl Scout Samoas (also called Caramel de-Lites in some parts of the country).

COCONUT-CHOCOLATE-CARAMEL BARS
Makes ~24 bars

The original recipe (found in "The King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion") calls for all sweetened coconut, but I found that made the bars too sweet. However, feel free to change the proportion of sweetened to unsweetened coconut to suit your sweet-tooth.

1½ cups sweetened shredded coconut
1½ cups unsweetened shredded coconut

½ cup (1 stick, 4 ounces) unsalted butter
1½ cups packed (12 ounces) brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 large egg

1¼ cups (5¼ ounces) unbleached, all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder

1 cup (4 to 5 ounces) firm caramel or caramel candies,
cut into ¼-inch pieces or heated slightly until softened

¾ cup (4½ ounces) chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate,
or chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x13-inch pan with a piece of parchment paper so it overhangs on two sides (if the other two sides are not lined with parchment, that is okay -- the main purpose of the overhanging parchment is so it can be used to help remove the baked cookies for cutting.)

Mix the two types of coconut together, spread on a half-sheet pan and toast in the oven, stirring frequently, until light brown. Cool and reserve ½ cup of the toasted coconut mixture in a separate bowl for topping the baked crust.

Cream together the butter, brown sugar, vanilla and egg in a large bowl, then mix in the flour, salt, baking powder and 2½ cups of the toasted coconut.

Spread the mixture in the prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, then distribute the caramel over the crust and return the pan to the oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until the crust is medium-brown and the caramel is melted and bubbling.

Remove the crust from the oven, and sprinkle with the chocolate. Allow the chocolate to soften for about 5 minutes and then spread it evenly over the surface of the caramel-topped crust. Sprinkle the reserved ½ cup toasted coconut over the top of the chocolate and press it gently into the chocolate with a spatula. Set the pan aside to cool completely.

Loosen the edges of the crust with a knife, lift out using the overhanging parchment, and then cut it into bars for serving.