Coconut Macaroon Brownies

Coconut Macaroon Brownies - made November 23, 2013 from allrecipes.com (submitted by Valerie Hatfield)

A third dessert I made for the fundraiser folks.  As with any bake sale or relief efforts, I almost always contribute a brownie and this time was no different.  I've had this recipe in my "to try" file for years and now seemed like a good time. It's a brownie sandwiching a coconut filling; what could go wrong?

Thankfully nothing did.  I only tried a sliver of this just to make sure it was okay before I dropped them off at my friend's house and they seemed fine.  The only thing I found surprising is the brownies weren't as dark chocolate in flavor as I expected, considering the amount of cocoa in them and I used Pernigotti which usually guarantees a dark chocolate flavor, especially in that amount. Otherwise, these were decent.

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Filling
4 cups unsweetened flaked coconut
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan.
   In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla. Combine the flour, cream of tartar, cocoa and salt; stir into the egg mixture until well blended. Spread half of this mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.
2. Make the middle layer. In a medium bowl, stir together the coconut, sweetened condensed milk and 1 tablespoon vanilla. Carefully layer this over the chocolate layer in the pan. Top with the remaining chocolate batter. Spread to cover evenly.
3. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes in the preheated oven, until top is no longer shiny. Cool in the pan before cutting into bars.