Samoa Bars AKA Caramel Delite Bars

I would like to thank My Baking Addiction, and also Baking Bites, because that is where I found this most excellent of glorious recipes. I can taste back to the days of Girl Scouts. I never was a Girl Scout, the politics of it all got to me. But I was a brownie, and I think that sounds much more appetizing. Remember Samoas? Remember how friggin' GREAT they were? I had never once (for some crazy reason) thought about trying to make these cookies on my own. They BELONGED to the Girl Scouts of America and it almost seemed unpatriotic to make them on my own without giving to the cause.

See? Politics.

Now, however, things are a little different. I threw all that way of thinking out the door and embraced what I now see to be patriotism and I followed this recipe that I came across on My Baking Addiction (which led to Baking Bites) and I flew with it! Cause this Shit is good.





Make the shortbread crust first. Here are the ingredients:

1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 large egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9X13" baking dish (i used glass and it went well), or line it with parchment paper.



In a large bowl, beat together sugar and butter until fluffy.

Beat in egg and vanilla extract. Blending at low speed, gradually beat in flour and salt until mixture is kind of damp yet crumbly.



Pour crumbly damp dough into the prepared dish and press into an even layer.






























Bake for 20-25 minutes, till base is set and edges are slightly browned. Cool completely on a wire rack before topping.


Topping Ingredients:

3 cups shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
12 oz. good quality, chewy caramels
1/4 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. milk
10 oz. dark or semi-sweet chocolate (chips are ok)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Spread coconut evenly on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Toast til coconut is golden, about 20 minutes, making sure to stir every five minutes. Set aside to cool.










Unwrap the caramels and put in a double boiler (or a large bowl over a pot of boiling water). Add milk and salt and heat till caramels are melted.













When smooth, fold in the toasted coconut.






















Put dollops of the coconut-caramel mix all over the shortbread base. Using a spatula (or clean hands) spread the topping evenly over the shortbread and let it set till cooled.




































When cooled, cut into 30 bars with a knife (or apparently a pizza cutter works too but I didn't try it). A bigger knife than this one would probably be easier.







Once all the bars are cut, melt the chocolate in a double boiler, or in a small bowl over a pot of boiling water.






Dip the bottom shortbread part of each bar into the melted chocolate. Place on a clean piece of parchment, or wax paper to cool.





Spoon all the remaining chocolate (and melt more if necessary) into a piping bag (or a ziplock bag with a corner snipped off works too) and drizzle, or pipe, the chocolate onto the bars.


I did not have the patience to drizzle the chocolate on. Also, it was kind of hard to get the chocolate through the small hole for the piping. So I just blobbed it on and then spread it with a spoon. Still scrumptious!

Bite. Enjoy.