Chocolate Toffee Delights

I’ve mentioned recently that I was gone a week or so, partially for vacation and partially for work. Starting next week I will be making some recipes inspired by goodies I saw while traveling and ingredients that I purchased while away. Before I left, I visited my public library to pick up some magazines to read. My husband picked up a copy of Taste of Home, which usually has some good recipes. The issue he picked up happened to have the winners of their cookie recipe contest, which made me really happy. I photocopied all of those recipes and wanted to make this one right away.

This recipe is basically like Girl Scout Samoas cookies (or Caramel deLites, depending on where you live). I’ve seen quite a few recipes that replicate Girl Scout Cookies, but they are usually pretty labor intensive. This one wasn’t, plus I happened to have a jar of caramel ice cream topping in the cupboard that needed to be used up. This one you just make a shortbread-like crust and then top which chopped coconut, almonds and caramel. No rolling and cutting or fancy dipping in chocolate or anything like that.

These are a bit delicate, so you have to be careful when you cut them. They’re also pretty sticky, which shouldn’t be surprising since it has ice cream topping. I put them in the refrigerator to hopefully become a little less sticky, but it’s ok to have a sticky treat once in a while! The caramel is a bit soft to be really Girl Scout Cookie-like and the flavor is a little different, but these are really great on their own merit!

1 cup butter, softened
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
¾ teaspoon almond extract
½ teaspoon coconut extract
2 cups flour
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking powder
½ cup flaked coconut
½ cup toasted sliced almonds
12 oz. caramel ice cream topping
¾ cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9” x 13” pan.

In a large mixer bowl, beat butter and ½ cup sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the extracts. In a separate bowl combine the flour, salt and baking powder. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix well. Press the mixture into the prepared pan.

Bake for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, prick the crust with a fork and sprinkle with the 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake for an additional 15 minutes. (Or sprinkle with sugar and just bake for 25 minutes if you don’t read the instructions. Oops.)

While the crust is baking, combine the coconut and almonds in a food processor and process until finely chopped. Transfer this mixture to a bowl and stir in the caramel ice cream topping. Spread this mixture over the warm crust and bake for an additional 6-10 minutes, until the edges are bubbly. Cool.

Melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler or in the microwave. Drizzle the chocolate over the cookies and allow to set before cutting into bars.

Recipe from Taste of Home