Chocolate Almond Macaroon Bars

By ctozzi

Ingredients

• 2 cupschocolate wafer crumbs (500 mL)
• 6 tbspbutter or margarine, melted (90 mL)
• 6 tbspicing sugar (90 mL)
• 14 ozsweetened condensed milk (1 can) (398 mL)
• 3 3/4 cupssweetened flaked coconut (925 mL)
• 1 cupsliced almonds, toasted (250 mL)
• 1 cupCHIPITS® SPECIAL DARK® Chocolate Chips or CHIPITS® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (250 mL)
• 1/4 cupwhipping cream (50 mL)
• 1/2 cupCHIPITS® White Chocolate Chips (125 mL)

Details

Adapted from hersheycanada.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. 1 Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a 9 x 13-inch (3 L) baking pan; set aside. Combine crumbs, melted butter and icing sugar in large bowl. Firmly press crumb mixture on bottom of prepared pan.
2. 2 Stir together sweetened condensed milk, coconut flakes and almonds in large bowl, until well combined. Carefully drop spoonfuls of the coconut mixture over crust; spread evenly. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until coconut edges just begin to brown; cool to room temperature.
3. 3 Combine chocolate chips and whipping cream in medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on MEDIUM (50%) for 1 minute; stir. If necessary, microwave on MEDIUM an additional 15 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, until chips are melted and mixture is smooth when stirred. Cool until slightly thickened; spread over cooled bars. Sprinkle evenly with white chocolate chips. Cover and chill for several hours or until thoroughly set. Cut into bars. Reserve leftovers in the refrigerator. Makes about 36 bars.

Tip: To toast almonds, heat oven to 350°F (180°C). Spread almonds in thin layer in shallow baking pan. Bake for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Cool completely.