Samoas Brownie Parfait with Salted Caramel Sauce

It’s almost that time of year again – Girl Scout Cookies are almost here! I maintain that they are probably the next best indicator of the incoming spring – other than Punxatawny Phil being torn from his little den of slumber to tell us if there will be 6 more weeks of winter or not. And to a blessed relief we will actually have an early spring this year! Now if Girl Scout Cookies could come out to a store near us, like now, that would be uber spectacular! But instead of chowing down on them in the traditional way, this year I went a little over board with a Samoas Brownie Parfait with Salted Caramel sauce and Coconut Whipped Cream.

I know. I’m a horrible person. Right? Let’s just collectively pick ourselves up off the floor and shake this one off. Let me tell you, there were no words.

I grew in the Girl Scouts, looking forward every year to camping trips, arts and crafts, horse camp (E.v.e.r.y. YEAR), and of course – Cookie Season.  At the time being a Girl Scout was great fun, but it was also a chance to grow and be apart of a group that revolved around being a kid, developing a curious mind and learning to be proud of who I was and would turn out to be. It never really sank in until I became and adult and realized what an impact those times really had on my life. They weren’t just memories made of being a kid, they were experiences that made me more outgoing, more understanding, well rounded and best of all adventurous in all the things I do – teaching me there was nothing I couldn’t accomplish with gumption and tenacity.

This year the Girl Scouts of Western Washington have teamed up with local Seattle bloggers, like myself, for a recipe contest where we get to flex out muscles and really reach for the stars in creating fun and different recipes with our favorite cookies. Voting will be taking place from February 19th to March 1st here on the Girl Scouts of Western Washington Cookie webpage. Stop by for a visit and vote on your favorite – even mine if you’re so inclined – there are bound to be some amazing creations!

My favorite from the dawn of time has always been (and will always be) Samoas. Between the shortbread cookie, toasted coconut, sticky caramel and the drizzled chocolate – is it any wonder this is the. perfect. cookie?! I thought so!

Baked into the brownie base was lots of rich cocoa and melted chocolate, toasted coconut and you guessed it – chopped up Samoa cookies. Then dolloped on top was sweetened whipped cream laden with coconut flavor and toasted coconut pieces. All topped off with copious amounts of salted caramel sauce to fill in all of the bits that the whipped cream didn’t fill in the first place. Naturally more Samoas were sprinkled all over the place .

Naturally.

Print Recipe

Yield: 4 Parfaits

Samoa Brownie Parfait with Salted Caramel Sauce

Prep Time: 35 Minutes

Cook Time: 35 Minutes + Cooling Time

Total Time: 75 Minutes

Girl Scout Cookies are back and this dessert is chock full of them, along with coconut whipped cream and salted caramel sauce.

Ingredients:

Samoa Brownies:
8 ounces Semi-Sweet Chocolate, chopped and melted
8 Tbsp Butter, cut into cubes
3 Tbsp Cocoa Powder
3 Eggs
3/4 cup Sugar
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 cup Flour
1 cup Samoas Cookies, chopped
1/3 cup Toasted Coconut Flakes

Coconut Whipped Cream:
1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
2 Tbsp Sugar
1/4 tsp Coconut Extract

Salted Caramel Sauce:
1 cup Sugar
1/4 cup Water
1 Tbsp Corn Syrup
1/2 cup heavy Whipping Cream
2 Tbsp Butter
1 tsp Sea Salt

Extras:
8-10 Samoa Cookies for garnish, some chopped/some whole
Extra toasted coconut for garnish

Directions:

Samoas Brownies:
Adjust oven rack to the lower middle position and turn oven to 250 degrees. Line a 9x9 baking sheet with two pieces of aluminum foil to form a sling for easy removal of brownies. Spray foil with non-stick spray. Melt chopped semi-sweet chocolate and cubed butter until smooth. Set aside.
Whisk the eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt together. Whisk in warm chocolate into the egg mixture until just combined. Using a spoon, pour in flour and combine batter. Add in toasted coconut and chopped Samoas cookies, stir to combine. Pour into the prepared baking dish and spread out evenly. Bake for 35 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted into the brownies comes out nearly clean, with just a few crumbs hanging on. Allow to cool on a wire rack for at least 90 minutes before removing and cutting into 1" cubes for parfaits. There will be leftover brownies from this recipe.

Coconut Whipped Cream:
Place 1 cup heavy whipping cream into a large bowl or stand mixer bowl. Beat on medium until cream turns frothy. Beat continuously until the cream starts to thicken, slowly whip in sugar and coconut extract. At the very end just before stiff peaks form, add in additional coconut flakes if desired.
Set aside or chill until you are ready to assemble parfaits.

Salted Caramel Sauce:
Stir together sugar, water and corn syrup in a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat. Bring mixture to a boil, gently stirring to ensure all the sugar has melted. Boil until the mixture turns a dark golden brown, About 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and VERY carefully and very slow stir the cream into the mixture, being sure to stir constantly. BE VERY CAREFUL, the sauce will sputter and expand - but keep stirring. Once combined, add the salt and butter and continue stirring until both are completely melted and combined. Cool to room temperature.

To Assemble:
In bowls, ramekins or stemless wine glasses, dollop a bit of whipped cream into the bottom. Top with cut brownies and bits of chopped Samoa cookie. Drizzle with salted caramel sauce. Repeat process again until parfait reaches the top of the dish. Top with extra toasted coconut and one whole Samoa cookie. Serve immediately or chill until ready to serve.

Salted Caramel Sauce adapted from Bakingdom and Brownies adapted from America's Test Kitchen

*fine print* I was given 5 boxes of cookies by the GSoWW to create this recipe. I was not compensated for this post.