Wheat Free Vegan Chocolate Coconut Bars or MAGIC BARS

When I was younger these bars were called Magic Bars. You made them in the pan you baked them in and took all of about ten minutes, due mainly to the fact that ninety percent of the ingredients were store bought, cupboard standards. While this is now impossible for me, I didn't want to sacrifice these goodies to the long list of "Things I Can't Eat" so I experimented and made a few changes and came up with a compromise between what I remember and what I can eat. While they are no longer magically simple, they are delicious and you can always just take photos on awkward angles, as I've done here, to make these feel a little more kooky. 

Recipe within a Recipe:

You'll need this to replace the sweetened condescended milk used in the original. 

In a bowl, combine 2/3 cup icing sugar, 1 cup powdered rice milk (or soy), 3 tbs. of vegan margarine, and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Add 1/2 cup boiling water and stir until all blended. Pop this in the fridge and leave it at least overnight. It will keep for about two weeks in the fridge, but this recipe uses all of it

Makes about 12 squares. 

BAR INGREDIENTS:

Base:

3/4 cup shredded coconut

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1 cup wheat free flour

1/3 cup vegan margarine, melted

generous pinch of salt (optional)

splash of vanilla

1/2 tsp baking soda

Topping:

Vegan Condensed Milk recipe (above)

1 1/3 cups chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups coconut

BAR INSTRUCTIONS:

In a large bowl, combine the baking soda, salt, flour, sugar, cocoa powder, and chocolate chips. Add the melted margarine and vanilla, coating the dry mixture with a spoon or your hands to make a soft crumb. Press this mixture into a lined 9x9 pan that has been lined and well greased with oil. Bake this base layer in a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes or until just done. Remove from oven and lower heat to 325 degrees. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the base and then pour your home-made sweetened condensed milk on top and spread it to the edges of the base layer. Sprinkle the shredded coconut and more chocolate chip (if you desire) over top of the pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 10 minutes, rotating half way through, so that the coconut is evenly toasted. 

Allow to cool before cutting into squares. These are great the first couple of days you make them but store in the fridge after day three.