Saturday, March 2, 2013

Samoa Wannabees

It's one of my favorite times of year. Yes, I love when the flowers start to bloom and the weather warms up, and yes, I love the start of baseball and softball season. But that's not what I'm talking about. What I'm talking about is Girl Scout cookie season.


Ever since I was little, I have loved Girl Scout cookies. I don't think there is a kind I don't like. I loved them so much that I joined the Girl Scout one year during cookie season only and then quit immediately after. I wasn't interested in learning how to tie ropes or build fires or whatever else it is they learn. I was there for the cookies. Over the years my favorites have shifted from one cookie to the next. Tagalongs are good, thin mints are even better, but the Samoas are in a league of their own. So when I found a recipe for homemade Samoas you can imagine my excitement. Access to the best cookies out there from my own kitchen, any time of year. 

The recipe was simple. It's a shortbread cookie base, topped with a mixture of melted caramels and toasted coconut, and then dipped and drizzled with dark chocolate (or in my case, milk chocolate). The result was nothing to be upset about. 




The caramel/coconut mixture was spot on. The only place this cookie really differed was in the shortbread department, as real Samoas are much thinner. There is also something about a ring shaped cookie that can't be beat. My mom loved the ones I gave her and my brother had the same critique about the cookie being too thick, but thought they still tasted good. It's hard to compete with the Girl Scouts - they know their cookies. I think I'll stick to the real thing when I can, but for Samoas in October, these will surely do the trick. 

Find the recipe for this, and many other blog entries under the "Recipes" tab at the top of the page.