Samoas Copycat--caramel-coconut Shortbread Bars |
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Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 20 Minutes |
Ready In: 20 Minutes Servings: 24 |
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A homemade knock-off of everyone's favorite Girl Scout Cookie with buttery shortbread, chewy coconut caramel and plenty of chocolate. Adapted from Fine Cooking Ingredients:
crust |
7 oz (14 tbsp) butter, melted and cooled to warm |
1/2 cup packed golden brown sugar |
1/2 tsp table salt |
9 oz (2 cups) all-purpose flour |
caramel-coconut layer |
2 cups sweetened shredded coconut |
1 cup packed golden brown sugar |
3/4 cup heavy cream |
1/2 cup light corn syrup |
1/4 tsp table salt |
ganache |
6 tbsp heavy cream |
2 oz dark chocolate, chopped |
Directions:
1. Make crust:
2. Line a 13x9 inch baking pan with two pieces of parchment, leaving two inches of overhang around the sides. Spray with non-stick spray.
3. Mix all crust ingredients together in a bowl, and press firmly and evenly into pan. Prick with a fork, and refrigerate until firm (30 minutes or 7 mins in the freezer).
4. Preheat oven to 325.
5. Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce temperature to 300 and bake another 15, until crust is golden brown.
6. Toast coconut-in a large skillet, place coconut over medium heat. Stir constantly, and watch it carefully, in a few minutes it will begin to toast and turn golden. Remove from heat when coconut is evenly golden but not burned. Set aside.
7. In a heavy-bottomrd saucepan, bring remaining caramel ingredients to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally, taking care not to burn the mixture, until it reaches 240 on a candy thermometer-between soft and firm ball stages.
8. Remove from heat. Carefully stir in coconut, and pour caramel over hot cookie crust.
9. Allow to cool at room temperature at least 2 hours before garnishing.
10. Ganache:
11. Heat cream to just boiling. Pour over chopped chocolate in a small bowl, and let sit a minute. Whisk until smooth, allow to cool slightly, transfer to a baggie, and snip the tip. Drizzle decoratively over the caramel.
12. Let ganache cool 30 minutes to an hour. Remove the bars by the parchment sling (handy, huh?), and cut with a very sharp knife on the diagonal to make pretty little diamonds.
13. These will keep at room temperature for one week, although I like to store mine in the fridge, and let them sit out for a bit before serving.
14. These are delicious! I only kept a few, and I had to ration myself, having one little diamond after dinner every day until they were gone. Very, very dangerous to have around-just like the real ones.
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