Almond Joy Bars with Turbinado Caramel

I was inspired by Almond Joys to create this bar cookie. I decided at the last minute to also make a carmel sauce to put on top with some Turbinado sugar I had around. It took a few tries, but eventually I figured out a caramel recipe that works, although it's a bit on the strong side. Feel free to experiment to make your own perfect caramel! Its a fun experience to have.

Almond Joy Bars with Turbinado Caramel

•1 cup shredded coconut

•1 cup whole wheat flour

•1/2 cup sugar

•1/3 cup canola oil

•1/2 cup non-dairy milk (I used vanilla almond)

•1 tsp vanilla

•1 tsp almond extract

•1/2 tsp baking powder

•1/2 tsp salt

•1 cup turbinado sugar

•3 Tbsp margarine

•1 tsp vanilla

•4 tsp non-dairy milk

•1 cup dark chocolate pieces

•1 cup chopped almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and combine all cookie ingredients in a bowl. Put the mixture in the bottom of a cake pan and top with the almonds, then the chocolate pieces. Put in the oven. Easy enough, right?

While it's baking, get ready to make some caramel. Start by premeasuring out your ingredients and having them at hand so that you can put them in right when they need to be added. Heat up a large saucepan on medium high, and when you're ready, add the sugar. Stir every 10-20 seconds, until the sugar has melted and becomes a light golden brown. Then add in the margarine and stir the mixture over medium heat until it melts. Once the margarine is combined, and it might take a few minutes, add the milk a bit at a time. It'll be hot, so the milk will case a lot of steam-be prepared! Once the milk is combined, let the mixture sit a moment and them pour it into a cooler bowl or pan. Filter out any unmelted sugar pieces if neccessary.

Once the bars are golden brown and the chocolate has melted, remove them from the oven. You may have to swirl the chocolate around a  bit with a knife to get the covered effect. Once the bars have cooled, drizzle with the caramel and garnish with coconut if you're feeling fancy. Slice and enjoy!