White Chocolate Samoas

Source - http://www.dashofeast.com/2012/02/white-chocolate-samoas-girl-scout-cookie-phenomenon/

Ingredients (makes about 60 cookies)
(for the shortbread)
1 cup softened butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

(for the topping)
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
2 cups shredded coconut
8 oz. white chocolate morsels

Let’s Bake! 
1. Combine the softened butter and sugar in a medium mixing bowl and stir together until the mixture is creamy in texture.
2. Add the flour, baking powder, salt, and vanilla extract to the butter and sugar mixture. Stir together to make a dough.
3. Preheat oven to 350˚F.
4. Roll the cookie dough out to about 1/4 of an inch thick. Use a round cookie-cutter to cut out the cookie shapes to circles about 1″ in diameter. (Note: I didn’t have a round cookie-cutter so I used a champagne glass. Asian ingenuity right there.) 
5. If you wish, take a knife and cut small circles in each of the cookie shapes. (Note: I opted not to – less work and more cookie)
6. Place the cookie shapes on parchment paper on a baking sheet and bake them in the preheated oven for 8-9 minutes until the cookies start turning golden brown on the edges, immediately remove from the oven and transfer the cookies to a wire cooling rack.
7. Turn the oven temp down to 325˚F.
8. In a saucepan, add the sugar and water, mix well and heat over medium heat. Make sure to stir frequently so that the mixture doesn’t burn on the bottom.
9. Watch the sugar mixture and remove immediately from the heat when the color turns a light brown. Add the whipping cream and mix well. Set aside to cool.
10. Place the coconut flakes onto a baking sheet and place in the oven for about 4-5 minutes until most of the flakes turn golden brown. Stir the coconut flakes every five minutes so that they bake evenly. (Note: Be sure to check the coconut frequently, because once they turn golden brown, they can quickly burn). Remove from oven.
11. Fold the coconut into the caramel mixture.
12. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the coconut mixture on top of each cookie, adjust amount of the mixture according to the size of the cookie.
13. Set the cookies aside to allow the caramel to cool
14. Melt the white chocolate either in a saucepan over medium low heat, or in my case, I used a tiny fondue pot.
15. Spoon the melted chocolate into a ziplock bag, cut off a corner with some scissors and drizzle the white chocolate over the caramel covered cookie.
16. Let the cookies cool (and chocolate to dry) for about 3-4 hours.
17. Serve with some milk or hot tea and enjoy!