Samoas Bars

It’s hard to believe that it’s time for Girl Scout cookies again!  I used to look forward to it every year when I was a kid.  I was never a Girl Scout, but I sure did love their cookies!  My favorite cookies were always the Samoas and the Tagalongs.  I never got to eat the Samoas very much, because my mom never ordered them.  I really remember eating them when David and I started dating in high school because he loved them too.  When I saw these Samoas Bars, I knew that I had to make them.

They were pretty similar to a Samoas cookie.  It started with a shortbread crust.  I thought the crust was a bit thick, so I would use a little bit less next time.  Next came the coconut layer.  I can’t get enough of toasted coconut, and mixing it with caramel was even better.  After the caramel later set, the next step was to dip the bottoms in chocolate.  I found that it was easier to just layer on the chocolate using a spatula.  I left the bars chocolate side up for them to set.  Next came the chocolate drizzle.  I used a plastic bag and it seemed to pipe nicely.  On the whole, I think these were enjoyed by all.  I think that I might even make the toasted coconut layer to mix in some ice cream.

Homemade Samoas Bars

Cookie Base:
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

First, make the crust.
Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking pan, or line with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter, until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla extract. Working at a low speed, gradually beat in flour and salt until mixture is crumbly, like wet sand. The dough does not need to come together. Pour crumbly dough into prepapred pan and press into an even layer.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, until base is set and edges are lightly browned. Cool completely on a wire rack before topping.

Topping
3 cups shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
12 ounces good-quality chewy caramels
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons milk
10 ounces dark or semisweet chocolate (chocolate chips are ok)

Preheat oven to 300.  Spread coconut evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet (preferably one with sides) and toast 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until coconut is golden. Cool on baking sheet, stirring occasionally. Set aside.

Unwrap the caramels and place in a large microwave-safe bowl with milk and salt. Cook on high for 3-4 minutes, stopping to stir a few times to help the caramel melt. When smooth, fold in toasted coconut with a spatula.
Put dollops of the topping all over the shortbread base. Using the spatula, spread topping into an even layer. Let topping set until cooled.
When cooled, cut into 30 bars with a large knife or a pizza cutter (it’s easy to get it through the topping).
Once bars are cut, melt chocolate in a small bowl. Heat on high in the microwave in 45 second intervals, stirring thoroughly to prevent scorching. Dip the base of each bar into the chocolate and place on a clean piece of parchment or wax paper. Transfer all remaining chocolate (or melt a bit of additional chocolate, if necessary) into a piping bag or a ziploc bag with the corner snipped off and drizzle bars with chocolate to finish.
Let chocolate set completely before storing in an airtight container.

Makes 30 bar cookies.

Note: You can simply drizzle chocolate on top of the bars before slicing them up if you’re looking for yet an easier way to finish these off. You won’t need quite as much chocolate as noted above, and you won’t quite get the Samoas look, but the results will still be tasty.

Source: Baking Bites