Girl Scout Inspired

Samoas Style Cookie Bars

This past winter, I learned just how much I was missing growing up in a coconut adverse family.  This is because this past winter, I realized there are more Girl Scout cookies than Thin Mints and Tagalongs.  I was introduced to a cookie with a perfect little shortbread crust, bathed with luxurious caramel, encrusted with toasted coconut and encased in decadent chocolate – I was introduced to the Samoas.  I was hooked at first bite.  We tried to ration that box full of the perfect cookie, but alas, before long, the midnight dips into the cookies came to an end when my expectant hand came up empty.  At that moment, I knew I had to recreate this cookie.  I chose to change it a little, adding my own spin and twists on it.  This is what I did.  I hope you enjoy.  As for me, they will carry me through the year until a little girl in a green uniform knocks on my door next year.  I hope I don’t scare her when I shriek with glee…

Ingredients
Shortbread Cookie Crust
1 ¼ Pound butter, unsalted

¾ Cup sugar

3 Extra large eggs

¾ Teaspoon vanilla

4 ½ Cups flour

½ Teaspoon baking powder

¼ Teaspoon salt

Caramel

4 Tablespoons butter, unsalted

3 Cups sugar

5 Tablespoons light corn syrup

1 Cup heavy cream

3 – 4 Cups shredded coconut

11 ½ Ounces chocolate chips (I used bittersweet)

Sea salt

Step 1

The first step in making these cookie bars is to prepare the crust.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Cream the butter and sugar together; it will take about three minutes for them to combine perfectly.  Then add the eggs and vanilla and mix until they are completely combined.  Finally, add the dry ingredients and mix only until they are just combined.  We don’t want to overwork that flour!  Then spread the dough into an ungreased sheet pan and bake for 30 minutes, or until it is just starting to brown around the edges.  Remove the cookie crust and let it begin to cool while we move on to step 2!

Step 2

Next, we want to toast the coconut.  With the oven still at 350 degrees, spread the coconut on a sheet pan and put it in the oven.  Stir the coconut every 2 – 3 minutes, until it is a toasty golden brown.  It will take anywhere from 7 – 15 minutes, depending on how moist your shredded coconut is.  When it is toasted, let it sit while you move on to step 3.

Step 3

This is the most tricky portion of the recipe, but it is not nearly as scary as most caramel recipes…so just bear with me and we will get through it!  You will want to use a rather large pot for this because it will boil up later on and we don’t want it to cook out of the pot and onto the stove – what a mess that would be!  I used a medium sized soup pot that has a nice, thick bottom (that way my sugar would not burn).  Turn the heat on to medium to medium high and add the sugar and corn syrup to the pot.  Now, this is not the time to answer the door or start a load of laundry…this requires your complete attention.  You will need to stir the mixture (I used a wooden spoon with a nice long handle due to a later part of this process) about every 30 seconds to 1 minute.  It usually takes me about 5 – 10 minutes, but cook and stir the mixture until the sugar has completely melted and it has become an amber color.  Now, please be careful at this point!  You will need to reduce the heat to low and add the cream and butter.  BUT BE CAREFUL!  It will bubble up and you will need to stir.  For me, this means a potholder and my longest handled wooden spoon and stirring until the steam is too much and then taking a break.  Do not burn yourself!!!!  Just cool your hand a moment and stir again.  When the mixture has been combined to a smooth caramel, pour it over the cookie crust.  Use your spoon to make sure it is spread evenly.

Step 4

Sprinkle the toasted coconut over the caramel and press slightly (without touching the hot caramel, of course!).

Step 5

While that begins to cool, use a double boiler or homemade double boiler (pot with water covered with a bowl) to melt the chocolate.  Make sure the bowl is not touching the boiling water.  Stir periodically until the chocolate is perfectly smooth.  I then put the chocolate in a squeeze bottle to top the bars.  You could also use a pastry bag with the writing tip.  Another option is just to take a spoon and drizzle it over the top of the bars.  Regardless of how you accomplish it, just get the chocolate on the cookie! J

Step 6

I then sprinkled sea salt over the top of the bars and let them cool to room temperature.  Then I put them in the fridge for an hour to make them easier to cut.  I cut them and stored them in the fridge.  I recommend letting them come up to room temperature before serving because the cookie is much softer and the caramel is not as likely to break a tooth (dentist’s orders! Haha). 

Enjoy!