Dulce de leche is translated as candy of milk or milk candy.
These (candy) bars are translated as one of the richest things I’ve made in 2013, and one of the best.
If you’re the type of person who complains about desserts being too sweet or too rich, stop reading now because these bars are both.
Dulce de leche is similar in texture and thickness to thick homemade caramel sauce, but rather than being made from butter, brown sugar, and cream like caramel sauce, it’s made by cooking sweetened condensed milk. It’s caramely, sweet, rich, and smooth.
I’ve always loved Seven Layer Bars (Hello Dolly Bars) and these bars are a riff on those. They’re a five layer bar made with shredded coconut, chocolate and white chocolate chips, and rather than sweetened condensed milk, I used dulce de leche.
I’m at my home in Aruba where I spend every December and August, and being only 10 miles from the equator, dulce de leche fits right in.
But coming up with these felt like an episode of Chopped. Here’s what went down in my head.
You must use: At least 1 of the 3 bags of shredded coconut that you’ve somehow accumulated. You must use an almost expired can of dulce de leche. You cannot use cocoa powder because there’s not enough left to do anything with. You cannot bake cookies or muffins because your oven sucks. You must use some of at least two of the partially-used bags of white/chocolate/peanut butter/butterscotch chips. You cannot make a no-bake bar because you make too many of those already.
Only one bowl is dirtied, no mixer used, and they take 5 minutes to get from cupboard to oven.
The base layer is a stick of melted butter, brown sugar, vanilla, and flour that’s stirred together and pressed into a pan. It’s not quick as thick as cookie dough, but nearly.
The brown sugar and butter caramelize while baking, intensifying and adding to the overall deep caramel flavor in the bars.
Then sprinkle on white chocolate chips, shredded coconut, chocolate chips, and top with half of one can of dulce de leche. You can buy dulce de leche in many grocery stores, including Eagle or Nestle brands, Williams-Sonoma makes one, or try La Salamandra online.
Make your own by submerging 1 unopened can of sweetened condensed milk into a boiling pot of water for 3 to 4 hours. Voila, dulce de leche.
If you absolutely don’t want to be bothered, you can substitute with sweetened condensed milk, but you’ll miss out on the lovely caramel flavor and thick, rich texture. Or you could try using half caramel sauce, half sweetened condensed milk.
Biting into the bars is a texture and flavor lovers’ dream.
The dulce de leche bubbles and caramelizes in the oven, turns thicker, and becomes bronzed.
The white chocolate chips underneath are creamy, melty, and complement the dulce de leche and the coconut. The coconut toasts slightly while baking, but doesn’t get crispy because it’s covered by the golden dulce de leche layer.
The brown sugar cookie dough base firms up and add some heft, firmness, chewiness, and structure to the softer, gooier topping layer.
I’m grateful for forcing Chopped onto myself because otherwise I never would have come up with these.
And I’m really glad I did. They’re worth running in the heat for.
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Dulce de Leche Coconut Chocolate Chip Bars
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, 1 stick, melted
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- pinch salt, optional and to taste
- ½ cup white chocolate chips, butterscotch or peanut butter chips may be substituted
- 1 cup loosely packed sweetened shredded coconut
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- half of one 14-ounce can dulce de leche (make your own
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8×8-inch pan with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray; set aside. Lining your pan is mandatory so bars don’t stick and for cleanup ease.
- In a medium microwave-safe mixing bowl, melt the butter, about 1 minute on high power.
- Add the brown sugar, vanilla, and whisk until smooth.
- Add the flour, optional salt, and stir until just combined; don’t overmix.
- Turn mixture out into prepared pan, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula and spreading mixture into corners.
- Evenly sprinkle with white chocolate chips.
- Evenly sprinkle with coconut.
- Evenly sprinkle with chocolate chips.
- Pour or scoop out about half the can of dulce de leche and evenly spread it with a knife or spatula over the chocolate chips. Take your time and use a light hand as to not disturb the underneath layers. It doesn’t have to cover all crevices because it spreads some as it bakes.
- Bake for about 25 minutes, or until dulce de leche is golden, bubbly, and bars show signs of being set around the edges. The coconut will look crispy at the edges. Because ovens, ingredients, and climates vary, use your judgment when your bars are done. Watch your bars, not the number on the clock. If at any time your dulce de leche layer seems to be browning too fast, turn your oven down to 325F and/or cover the pan with a sheet of foil.
- Allow bars to set up for at least 2 hours, or overnight (strongly recommended), before slicing and serving. The butter in the base, the natural coconut oil, and the milkfat in the dulce de leche all seep out while baking, but reabsorb as the bars cool over time. Bars will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Have you tried dulce de leche?
Oh my goodness! I made a version of these bars with toasted coconut, chopped pecans, and leftover chocolate Halloween candies. Cut up 1/2″ size bites of milky way, snickers, kit kat, peanut butter cups, almond joy, and 3 musketeers. They were to die for! Thanks so much for posting this recipe! I forgot to bookmark it, ended up making some other dulce de leche bar that was 5 stars and they didn’t taste as wonderful as these. I’m going to make these again with leftover Easter candies. Mmmm…
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad you were able to use up your Halloween candy! Glad you loved these and will make them again with Easter candy!
Oh my goodness! I made a version of these bars with toasted coconut, chopped pecans, and leftover chocolate Halloween candies. Cut up 1/2″ size bites of milky way, snickers, kit kat, peanut butter cups, almond joy, and 3 musketeers. They were to die for! Thanks so much for posting this recipe! I forgot to bookmark it, ended up making some other dulce de leche bar that was 5 stars and they didn’t taste as wonderful as these. I’m going to make these again with leftover Easter candies. Mmmm…
I will say, I can occasionally be that person where food is too sweet and rich, BUT… my curiosity won and I read through the page to get to the recipe. I actually enjoyed reading what you had to say, so thanks for being interesting without being obnoxious. I just made these bars, except I had no white not-chocolate chips, so I looked through the cabinets and came up with my 4 year old’s leftover chocolatey Halloween candy, marshmallows, pecans, and candied ginger as my choices. The Halloween candy won out, as well as pecans, coconut, and semi sweet chocolate chips. I’m putting in the pecans because I know they will keep the non-nut eaters away. I also don’t feel like sharing with anyone. =) Thanks again for the excellent recipe! The smell of it when I checked it at 15 minutes was the most heavenly breath of oven air… Cheers!
I’m glad these turned out excellent for you! And were able to clean out your cupboards a little too :)
I will say, I can occasionally be that person where food is too sweet and rich, BUT… my curiosity won and I read through the page to get to the recipe. I actually enjoyed reading what you had to say, so thanks for being interesting without being obnoxious. I just made these bars, except I had no white not-chocolate chips, so I looked through the cabinets and came up with my 4 year old’s leftover chocolatey Halloween candy, marshmallows, pecans, and candied ginger as my choices. The Halloween candy won out, as well as pecans, coconut, and semi sweet chocolate chips. I’m putting in the pecans because I know they will keep the non-nut eaters away. I also don’t feel like sharing with anyone. =) Thanks again for the excellent recipe! The smell of it when I checked it at 15 minutes was the most heavenly breath of oven air… Cheers!
BTW, I have a bucket list of “Averie Recipes” to make before school starts … I have a LONG way to go!
I had this burning desire to make these the past few days but dulce de leche, let alone sweetened condensed milk is kind of hard to get here in Kenya. Anyway, I decided, screw that one missing ingredient, I’ll just replace it with Homemade Caramel Sauce! These were freaking amazing- the caramel had a sweet, gooey taste backed up by the slightly toasted caramel tones; the white chocolate chips sealed the deal…I wish I had used all white chocolate instead of 1/2 white, 1/2 semi-sweet but there’s always next time! So although these bars *may* have tasted better with dulce de leche- caramel sauce did the job for me. LOVE LOVE LOVE this recipe.
Well dulce de leche and caramel sauce are pretty closely related, actually! D de L is milkier but it’s caramelized sweet milk; and caramel sauce is caramelized cream and butter. So I think your swap was an excellent one! So glad you made and enjoyed them and I love that you have a big list of recipes you want to make! Thanks for reading all the way from Kenya!!
I love these ingredients! Luckily, I’m not afraid of a little sugar!
Amen girl:)
Wow! These look fantastic. So gooey and sweet!