Coconut Caramel Candy Bars

It’s Friday. I think we would all like to escape.

Escape into a pan of these Coconut Caramel Candy Bars.

If you like Samoas Cookies, you will love these.

A buttery layer studded with toasted coconut is topped with gooey caramel and covered in bittersweet chocolate. Supremely good.

Coconut Caramel Candy Bars

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 1/4 cups Flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 3/4 cups toasted shredded coconut, divided; 1/4 cup reserved for topping (King Arthur Flour’s toasted coconut is really good and great to have on hand)
1 1/4 cups chopped caramel
1 tablespoon heavy cream
3/4 cup chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. In a large bowl, beat together the butter, brown sugar, vanilla, and egg.

3. Mix in the flour, salt, baking powder, and 1 1/2 cups of the coconut. Spread the mixture in an ungreased 9 x 13 inch pan.

4. Bake for 15 minutes.

5. While the crust is baking, melt the caramel with the cream in the microwave (1 minute), or in a saucepan set over a burner. Stir to combine.

6. Drizzle the caramel over the crust, and return it to the oven for 12 minutes, until the crust is medium brown.

7. Remove the pan from the oven, and sprinkle the chopped chocolate atop the crust. Allow the chocolate to soften for about 5 minutes, then spread it evenly over the crust.

8. Sprinkle the reserved coconut on top.

9. Cool for 30 minutes; while still slightly warm, loosen the edges and cut into bars. Cool completely before serving.

Yield: 24 bars

Recipe from King Arthur Flour