Gooey Coconut Dream Bars

My mom and I were waiting all week to make this gooey bar. After having eaten the Dreambar a couple weeks back at Cafe Express, we wanted to resurrect the sweet goodness in our kitchen. Tomorrow is Father's Day and this is a delicious dessert bar for all sweet tooth dads to try. Mom and I whipped this up before going out to eat at Mambo Seafood. It's a mexican restaurant and fish market all in one. Everyone there is watching the soccer game (Mexico vs. Guatemala) and having a good time. In the middle of the cheering and festivities, a POP POP sound came out of nowhere. I didn't think much of it because it sounded like fireworks outside. The all of a sudden everyone eating outside scrambled inside to the exit door knocking over tables, dishes, and beer mugs. The patrons inside ducked under the table. We were all laying flat against the dirty ground, and my dad kept whispering me to get down lower. It was a very dramatic and scary experience. I, for one, will not go to that side of town again.

Gooey Coconut Dream Bars
Adapted from The Sweeter Side of Amy's Bread

• 20 graham crackers
• 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt
• 1 cup pf semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 cups of sweeted flaked coconut
• 1/4 cup of coconut powder
• 1 cup of chopped walnuts
• 1 can of sweetened condensed milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Foil a 9x13-inch pan and grease the bottom.

Crust:
Crumb the graham crackers in a food processor. Mix together the graham cracker crumbs, salt, and melted butter in a large bowl. Evenly pack the mixture into the pan.

Topping:
Sprinkle coconut powder over the crust. Then top it with a mixture of walnuts and coconut flakes. Pour the condensed milk over the covering the entire surface. Evenly sprinkle chocolate chips over the condensed milk.

Bake for about 10 minutes. Rotate the pan and bake for another 15 minutes. Watch carefully and make sure that the top does not brown and the milk does not bubble over the pan. Cool the bars completely before cutting the bars. Bars can be stored tightly wrapped with seran film in the fridge or freezer.

I prefer to eat them with a glass of milk or a scoop of icecream.