Coconut Caramel Slices

By Mariealicerayner @MarieRynr

Do you love coconut as much as I do?   Buttery coconut cakes?   Macaroons?   Do you love Caramel?  As much as I do?  If you do then this is YOUR bake.  You really must bake these delicious squares.

Picture this . . .  a buttery, short textured. . .  coconut filled base . . . baked for a while until just beginning to get golden brown . . .

Topped with rich, sweet and toffee flavoured Dulce de Leche.  Oh . . .  Dulce de Leche is one of my weaknesses.  I could eat it with a spoon and forget all about the cake . . .
 
Topped with a macaroon like shredded coconut and oat topping  . . .  and then baked again  . . .  until all of that caramel goodness melds together with that buttery coconut base and that lovely oaty/coconutty topping gets all golden and scrumptiously addictive looking . . .

The hardest part is waiting until they are cool enough to cut into slices and remove from the pan.  (DO butter it VERY well, or the sides will stick and you don't want to lose any of that scrumminess.)
SOOO Good.   Trust me on this.  It's impossible to eat just one.  Impossible.

*Coconut Caramel Slices*Makes 20Printable Recipe 
 A delicious coconut cake base topped with dulce de leche and a coconut/oat topping.  Scrumptious! 
For the base:150g of self raising flour, sifted (1 cup plus 1 TBS)40g of dessicated coconut (1/2 cup)90g of soft light brown sugar (1/2 cup packed)140g of butter, melted (10 TBS) 
To top:1 (380g) tin of Dulce de Lech caramel, softened (1 generous cup)80g of butter, melted (5 1/2 TBS)75g of shredded coconut (1 cup)90g of rolled oats (1 cup)115g of golden syrup (1/3 cup)  
 
Preheat the oven to 1890*C/350*F/ gas mark 4.  Line a 9 inch square pan with some baking paper.  Set aside.
Sift the flour into a bowl.   Whisk together with the coconut and brown sugar.   Stir in the melted butter until thoroughly combined.  Press this mixture into the prepared baking tin.  Bake in the heated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown.  Allow to cool for ten minutes. 

Mix the shredded coconut, oats, golden syrup and melted butter for the topping together well.Spread the tin of Dulce de Lech over top of the baked base.   Sprinkle the coconut/oat topping over all.  Bake for a further 20 to 25 minutes or until golden.   Cool completely before cutting into squares to serve.

My Dulce De Leche of choice comes from Merchant Gourmet. (I love LOVE all of their products.)  It's rich and smooth without being overly sweet.  I could just sit and eat it with a spoon.  I really could. And best of all it's free from artificial colourings, flavourings and preservatives.  This is the best.  Truly.
And so are these squares.  Buy some Dulce De Leche and bake them today.