Crazy for Coconut Congo Bars

If you've been working really hard to exercise and eat right than I am issuing a formal apology for what's coming next.  I decided it was finally time to post these because they are my absolute favorite cookie in a one- trip- to- the -oven bar form.  They are moist and exotic and hit all the right notes for any coconut lover.  After documenting the making of them I realize they are a tad fussy.  Only because you might not have all the ingredients on hand, but like vanilla beans and good curry powder they really should claim a spot on the grocery list.  I'm pretty sure your friends will buy you a world's best cook apron if you bring them to a summer bbq.  I don't know if they freeze well because they've never lasted long enough to find out.  What I do know is this.
 If you make them for yourself, just because, you will casually leave a knife sitting by the pan and every hour or so you will cut a small piece out until you're husband comes home and you're forced to make up an elaborate lie about how your youngest child snuck up on the counter and ate half the tray while you were in the shower.  It won't be pretty.  So please have an excuse to make these.
 FYI:   It's Tuesday, my doctor said I should add more nuts to my diet, and my period started are not valid reasons.  Let's begin:

Preheat the oven to 350 and toast 1cup of pecans.  About 8-10 minutes should do it.

Throw 1 1/2 cups shredded unsweetened coconut onto the same pan and toast 5-8 minutes until golden.

This is not the time to go paint your nails or reprimand your children for using your pearl necklace to decorate their fairy house outside.

While your doing some toasting, go ahead and make a foil nest for your congo babies.  Take two pieces of foil and fold them into rectangles that will fit neatly into your 9X12 glass pan.  Then spray the foil with cooking spray.  If your planning on eating these by yourself, straight from the pan, this step is probably not necessary.

Now melt 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter in the microwave and set it aside to cool.

Grab a bowl and sift together 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon table salt.

Put 1& 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar in a big bowl.

Then grab Barry brown sugar and Betty butter and wed them in holy matrimony.

Mix in two eggs

And 4 teaspoons vanilla

Using a large rubber spatula, gently fold the dry ingredients into the brown sugar mixture.

Add the nuts

And the coconut

Now you can either mix 1 cup of white chocolate chips/chopped up bar, or 3 ounces/ 1/2 cup white chocolate and 1/2 cup semisweet/dark chocolate chips/bar into the mix.  Or you can use all dark/semisweet/milk chocolate.  I think I maybe made that more complicated than it needed to be.

I like to do 1/2 and 1/2 and these chips are my favorite

Now gently stir it all together,

pour it into the prepared pan, smooth out the top,

And bake it for 22-25 minutes until the top is shiny and slightly cracked.

Now at this point I know your going to want to grab the 9X13 and a fork and lock yourself in the bathroom but you really should wait at least an hour for these to cool.  This is the time to fold your laundry, knit that matching sweater set for you and your significant other, and reprimand your children for taking a glitter glue stick to your Restoration Hardware duvet because they thought it would make it "so much prettier".

After they've cooled you can lift them right out of their lovely bed and slice them into perfect squares so they'll be all ready for your church potluck.  Or bathroom party for one.  It's totally up to you.

Congo Bars

1 cup pecan, toasted and chopped 

1 1/2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

12 Tablespoons unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

4 teaspoons vanilla extract

6 ounces white chocolate chips (1 cup), or chopped bar, or 3 ounces each white chocolate and semisweet chocolate chips