Congo Bars
Author: 
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: Cookies
 
Closely adapted from Patricia Helding
Ingredients
  • Crust:
  • ¼ cup AP flour
  • ⅓ t baking powder
  • 1 t salt
  • 1 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 11 whole crackers, crushed)
  • ⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
  • 7 T unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • Topping:
  • 1¼ cups flaked coconut (sweetened or not to your taste, see notes above)
  • ½ cup semi-semi sweet chocolate chips
  • ¼ cup milk chocolate chips
  • ¾ cup sweetened condensed milk
  • ⅓ cup chopped nuts--I used hazelnuts (can be left out)
Instructions
  1. Spray a 9X9 pan with baking spray and then line it with parchment paper. Spray it with Baker's Joy. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
  2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and then stir in the graham cracker crumbs and light brown sugar. Mix well. Cut the butter into the flour mix and then mix with your hands until the dough is smooth. Pat the dough evenly in a thin layer into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 10 minutes or until the crust is slightly golden. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Prepare the topping.
  3. Mix together the coconut, both chocolate chips, and the condensed milk with a spoon. Add the nuts, if using. Spread the mixture evenly over the baked crust.
  4. Bake for 20 minutes or until the top is well-set and light brown. Watch carefully at the end of baking time; do not let the top become too bubbly or dark. Let cool on a rack for 2 hours or until chocolate chips are no longer soft. Use parchment paper to remove from pan when cool and slice into bars.
Recipe by The Spiced Life at https://www.thespicedlife.com/congo-bars/