Coconut almond macaroon bars

Sep. 17, 2012 Contributed by Hershey Foodservice Advertisement INGREDIENTS 2 lbs. 4 ozs. chocolate wafer cookie crumbs 12 ozs. butter, melted 12 ozs. confectioners' sugar 3 lbs. 8 ozs. sweetened condensed milk 2 lbs. 14 ozs. sweetened coconut flakes 14 ozs. almond slices, toasted 1 lb. 8 ozs. Hershey's Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips 8 ozs. whipping cream TOTAL APPR. WT. 13 lbs. INSTRUCTIONS Combine crumbs, melted butter and confectioners' sugar in a large bowl. Firmly press crumb mixture on the bottom of prepared 18-in. by 26-in pan. Mix sweetened condensed milk, coconut and almonds in a large bowl. Carefully drop mixture by spoonfuls over crust; spread evenly. Bake 15 to 20 minutes in a convection oven at 300˚F (20 to 25 minutes in a conventional oven at 350˚F), or until coconut edges just begin to brown. Cool. Microwave chocolate chips and whipping cream for 2 minutes on medium power; stir. Microwave an additional 15 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating until chips are melted. Cool until slightly thickened; spread over bars. Sprinkle with additional almonds, if desired. Cover; refrigerate several hours until firm. Yield: 96 bars