Almond-Coconut Candy Bars(Almond Joy)

These taste just like the original Almond Joy. Our kids love them!!!

Ingredients:

• 7 ounces sweetened condensed milk (half a standard 14-oz can maybe a little bit more)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 cups powdered sugar
•  2 cups shredded coconut
• 3/4 cup whole roasted almonds (I prefer roasted salted almonds)
• 1 lb chopped dark chocolate, or chocolate candy coating

Directions:

1. First  line a 9x13-inch pan with aluminum foil and spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, combine the sweetened condensed milk, the vanilla, and the salt. Stir them together until they're well-mixed. If your room is fairly cold and the condensed milk is thick and hard to stir, microwave it for 10-15 seconds, just so that it loosens up and is easier to work with.
3. Next add the powdered sugar to the bowl with condensed milk, and stir it in.
4.  Add the coconut all at once and mix it with the condensed milk until there are no dry patches remaining.
5. Your final coconut mixture should be sticky but fairly stiff. If it's runny add a bit more coconut, and if it's very dry, add a bit more condensed milk.
6. Scrape the coconut into the prepared pan. Wet your palms and press the coconut into a thin, even layer. You can control how thick you want the coconut layer to be. Use a knife or a pizza wheel to lightly mark the top of the coconut into bars. 
7. Take your roasted almonds and press them into the sticky coconut top. I use 2 per bar, to stay traditional, but you can use more or less, to taste. Once all the almonds are placed, refrigerate your pan to firm up the coconut, for about an hour.
8. Once the coconut is firm enough to cut, take it out of the refrigerator. Lift the candy from the pan using the foil as handles. Use a large sharp knife to cut your bars along the lines you marked earlier. 
9. Place your chopped chocolate or candy coating in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave it in 30-second increments. Stir it after every 30 seconds so that it doesn't overheat.When it's melted and smooth, use forks or dipping tools to dunk each candy bar in the chocolate, then tap it against the lip of the bowl to remove any excess chocolate. Place the bars on a foil-lined baking sheet to set while you dip the rest. Refrigerate the tray to set the chocolate, for about 10 minutes.  
   Bon Appétit