Congo Bars
User Reviews
5
Congo Bars
Description
The Congo Bars recipe combines basic baking ingredients—flour, baking powder, salt, butter, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract—with generous amounts of toasted shredded coconut, toasted pecans, and a mix of semi-sweet and white chocolate chips. Toasting the coconut and nuts intensifies their nutty flavors and adds crunch.
The wet and dry ingredients are mixed carefully to preserve some texture, then folded together with the coconut and nuts. Baking the mixture in a foil-lined pan allows easy removal, and baking until a toothpick shows moist crumbs ensures a tender yet firm bar with chewiness from the coconut and chunks from the nuts and chocolate.
After baking, the bars are cooled completely before cutting into 24 squares approximately 2.5 inches each, though size can be adjusted. They make a sweet snack or dessert with contrasting textures of creamy chocolate, crunchy nuts, and toasted coconut.
The notes emphasize toasting the coconut and pecans for best flavor and crunch, and mention that the bars can be stored at room temperature up to a week or frozen individually for longer storage. Substitutions for nuts and chocolate chips are also possible depending on preference.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup butter melted and cooled (1 1/2 sticks)
- 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
- 2 large egg
- 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups coconut toasted (see note 1, sweetened shredded
- 1 cup pecans toasted (4 ounces, see note 2)
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips 3 ounces, see note 3, semi-sweet
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips (3 ounces)
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to the middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-inch by 13-inch baking pan with a foil sling or parchment paper and coat with nonstick spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix together butter and sugar. Whisk in eggs and vanilla until combined.
- Using a rubber spatula, stir in the dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in coconut, pecans, chocolate chips, and white chocolate chips.
- Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out slightly moist with a few crumbs attached, about 22 to 25 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway through baking time.
- Cool completely in pan on a wire rack, about 2 hours. Remove from pan using foil sling and cut into 24 squares.
Notes
- Toast shredded coconut and pecans to develop richer flavor and crunch before adding to batter.
- Use semi-sweet and white chocolate chips or substitute with other chocolate types or chopped bars as preferred.
- Line the baking pan with foil or parchment to lift bars easily for clean cutting after cooling.
- Store Congo Bars at room temperature in an airtight container for up to one week.
- For longer storage, individually wrap bars and freeze for up to three months.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 24bars
Amount Per Serving
Calories 238 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 238kcal | 12% |
| Carbohydrates | 27g | 9% |
| Protein | 2g | 4% |
| Fat | 14g | 22% |
| Saturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Cholesterol | 17mg | 6% |
| Sodium | 161mg | 7% |
| Potassium | 103mg | 2% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 20g | 40% |
| Vitamin A | 279IU | 6% |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 40mg | 4% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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