Girl Scout Wanna Be: Caramel Delight BARS!

My husband indulges me. I bake something he- eats it- and if he really likes it - he eats more of it. This makes me happy. I realized that I didn't get my husband any of his favorite kind of Girl Scout Cookies this year. Caramel Delights (or Samoas). Then I realized how much I really like those stinkin things. Then I thought about how much I didn't need that around the house...then I came to my senses and looked up a recipe. Let's say I'm glad I did and I'm even happier I mailed these to my husband vs keeping them here. They were deadly.

Girl Scout Wanna Be: Caramel Delight Bars
(adapted from Baking Bites)

Base:
1 cup butter, soft
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
up to 2 tbsp milk
Topping:
3 cups shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
12-oz good-quality chewy caramels (or an 11oz bag of caramel bites from Kraft)
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp heavy cream (1/2 and 1/2 or milk will do in a pinch)
8 oz. dark or semisweet chocolate (chocolate chips are ok)

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9x13 with Parchment paper. (we go through this stuff in droves!)

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Mix in flour, baking powder and salt at a low speed, followed by the vanilla and milk, adding in the milk as needed to make the dough come together without being sticky (it’s possible you might not need to add milk at all).

2. Press dough into bottom of lined 9x13. Will just come to the edges.

3. Bake bar for 8-10 minutes, until bottoms are lightly browned and bar is set.

4. Cool completely. Reduce oven temp to 300.

5. Spread coconut on a cookie sheet with sides. Toast for 20 minutes (stirring every 5) till a beautiful golden brown. TOAST THE COCONUT!

6. Melt caramels in a microwave safe bowl with the heavy cream. Stir every 30 seconds to help distribute the heat. When melted, add the TOASTED coconut. Stir to combine.

7. Spread coconut/caramel mixture on bars. Do so quickly- as it'll get stiffer to spread as it cools. Press it down with hands (lightly buttered) to get it to the edges of the pan.

8. Let cool again. When cooled- cut into bar form 2x3 or whatever floats your boat.

9. Melt chocolate chips in microwave safe bowl (you can add a small touch of shortening if you'd like- I mean small!). Dip bottom of bars in chocolate and place on parchment paper to set up. Drizzle remaining chocolate over the top.

Give away.

This is not the best photo out there. In fact it's rather sad. But please take my word for it- these are worth making!