Gluten Free Samoas

Preheat your oven to 325°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper and set it aside.

In a large bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, salt and sugar, and whisk to combine well. Add the butter and 1 tablespoon water, and mix to combine.

The dough will be a bit dry, and you will have to knead it with your hands to get it to come together. If necessary for the dough to hold together, add a second tablespoon of water, 1 teaspoon at a time.

Press the dough into a disk, and then place the disk between two sheets of unbleached parchment paper or simply on top of one piece of paper. Roll the dough between 1/8-inch and 1/4-inch thick.

Cut out 2-inch rounds with a cookie cutter, then cut out a 1/2-inch circle in the center with either a 1/2-inch cookie cutter or the underside of a pastry tip. Gather, reroll and cut any scraps into rounds.

Remove the shapes from the paper by peeling back the parchment paper from the bottoms of the cookies (they will be a bit fragile). Place the cookies about 1-inch apart or less on the prepared baking sheet (they should not spread during baking).

Place the cookies in the center of the preheated oven. Bake until the cookies are set and just beginning to brown around the edges (about 8 minutes).

Allow the cookies to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet until they are firm enough to transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Toast the coconut. Place the coconut chips in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, and place it in the center of the preheated oven. Bake, stirring once, until the chips are lightly golden brown (about 8 minutes).

Remove the chips from the oven and allow to cool slightly before crushing the toasted chips in your hands into relatively small shards of toasted coconut.

Remove the caramels from their wrappers and melt them in a double boiler or in a small, microwave safe bowl on 70% power at 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until melted and smooth.

Add milk to the melted caramels as necessary to thin the liquid to a thickly pourable consistency.

Brush the top of each cooled cookie with the melted caramel, or dip one side of each cooled cookie lightly in the melted caramel mixture. Place each cookie, caramel-dipped side up, on a piece of parchment paper. This will help the coconut mixture stick to the cookies.

Add the toasted and crushed coconut chips to the rest of the melted caramel mixture and mix to combine. With a butter knife, small offset spatula, or moistened fingers, press the clumps of coconut-caramel on top of the caramel layer on each cookie in a single layer, a bit more than 1/8 inch thick. Press gently to help them adhere.

Place the assembled cookies in the refrigerator until they are set (about 10 minutes), or allow them to set at room temperature (it will take a bit longer). While the cookies chill, make the chocolate coating.

Melt the chocolate and shortening in a double boiler or a small, microwave safe bowl, on 70% power at 30-second intervals, stirring in between, just until melted and smooth.

Remove the cooled cookies from the refrigerator, and carefully dip the bottom of each cookie in the melted chocolate, and place the cookie back on the parchment paper.

Drizzle a bit more chocolate over the top of each cookie in a zig-zag pattern. Allow to sit at room temperature until the chocolate is set.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Freeze any leftovers.