Chocolate Raspberry Magic Bars

These squares have a gooey coconut filling sandwiched between a chocolate cardamom cookie base and layer raspberry jam topped with toasted almonds and more chocolate.

They are my variation of the popular Magic Cookie Bar or Hello Dolly Square recipe that I bet many of you are familiar with. As a teenager, I used make a special trip across town to a cafe that sold Hello Dollies, until I learned how easy they are to make at home. This is a recipe that calls for a can of sweetened condensed milk, that 'magic' ingredient that makes everything taste SO good.

You'll need:

• 1 1/2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs*
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 3 cups flaked, coconut
• 1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup raspberry jam
• 1/2 cup chopped toasted almonds
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

*Find prepared chocolate cookie crumbs in the baking aisle of most groceries, right next to the graham cracker crumbs.  If not, look for plain chocolate wafer cookies and crush them in a ziplock bag with a rolling pin, or in the food processor using the steel blade.

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Combine the chocolate cookie crumbs, melted butter, brown sugar, and cardamom in a small bowl and stir until everything has been incorporated.
• Press into a lightly greased 9x9 baking dish.
• Layer the coconut over the chocolate base and pour the sweetened condensed milk over the top.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes or until coconut is lightly browned.
• Let cool, then spread the raspberry jam over the coconut crust, and sprinkle with the chopped almonds.
• Melt the chocolate chips in a small bowl in the microwave. Use short 10 second intervals to ensure you don't overheat the chocolate, stir until smooth. Drizzle over the almonds using a fork.
• Let the chocolate set before cutting into squares or bars.

Enjoy!