Samoas are a basically coconut version of a Snickers, crisp cookies topped with toasted coconut caramel, dunked in dark chocolate with more to drizzle. It is one of the more popular Girl Scout cookies, along with Tagalogs, Thin Mints, Trefoils, Smores and Do-si-dos. How Samoas got its name remains a mystery, maybe because they grow a lot of coconuts in Samoa.
Coconut is the defining feature of a Samoa, so I have included it in the base and caramel layers for double the delight of this fatty, fleshy drupe. However to maintain the raw state, instead of toasting the coconut, I have used mesquite powder to impart the caramelised sweetness of toasted coconut. Mesquite powder, which is ground from the leguminous seedpods of the Mesquite plant, also brings along its benefits of dietary fibre, vitamin C, minerals (calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, zinc) and the essential amino acid lysine. Double win!
Don’t forget a good pinch of Himalayan salt for that sweet-salty satisfaction of salted caramel!
Salted Coconut Caramel Samoas (Raw Vegan)
Coconut, caramel and cacao come together in happy harmony in this raw vegan Samoa girl scout cookies. Mesquite gives the characteristic caramelised flavour of toasted coconut without the need to toast coconut, plus its own array of nutrients!
Ingredients
Coconut Shortbread Base
- 64 g (2/3 cup) activated almond flour
- 32 g (1/4 cup + 2 tbsp) desiccated coconut
- 16 g (1 tbsp) pure maple syrup
- 10 g (1 tbsp) cold-pressed coconut oil
Salted Coconut Caramel
- 56 g (3-4 no) pitted dates
- 16 g (1 tbsp) pure maple syrup
- 16 g (1 tbsp) coconut milk
- 13 g (4 tsp) cold-pressed coconut oil
- 10 g (2 tsp) coconut butter
- 2 tsp mesquite powder
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp Himalayan salt
- 33 g (1/4 cup + 2 tbsp) desiccated coconut plus extra for topping
Chocolate, For Dipping
- 70 g (2.5 oz) vegan dark chocolate
Instructions
For the Coconut Shortbread Base
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In a spice grinder, blend the desiccated coconut to a fine powder.
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Combine the coconut powder with the remaining ingredients and blend well.
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Divide the mixture into 6 portions and press into donut molds (about 20-22 grams per portion).
Salted Coconut Caramel
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In a blender or spice grinder, blend all the ingredients, except the desiccated coconut, until smooth.
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Transfer the caramel into a mixing bowl and stir in the desiccated coconut. If your coconut is thick, you might want to process it finer, but be careful not to overprocess or it will turn to powder.
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Press the coconut caramel over the base. Top off with extra desiccated coconut.
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Place the mold into the freezer for at least 4 hours or overnight, until set.
Chocolate Dipping and Decoration
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Pop the frozen Samoas out from the mold.
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Melt the chocolate in a bain marie. Dip the bottom-half of the Samoas in the chocolate, and place them on a parchment sheet. Repeat until all the Samoas are coated. Use or spoon or piping bag to drizzle chocolate over the top of the Samoas. Return the Samoas to the freezer to set.
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Store Samoas in the freezer for up to 2 weeks for best flavour, if they can last that long!
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