Coconut Bars

[Diane Lane]

I don't know the source of this recipe. I found it in my Recipes folder on the computer, and it's been there for at least 4 years. I do try to list the source most of the time, but occasionally I will forget to do so.

The recipe looks easy, and the only thing it requires that I don't have here at the house is nuts. I do have chocolate, though, so I'm considering substituting that for the nuts.

Coconut Bars

1 cup (250 ml) all-purpose flour
1 tsp (5 ml) baking powder
4 Tbs (60 ml) butter
1 cup (250 ml) light brown sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp (2 ml) vanilla extract
1/2 cup (125 ml) coconut
1/2 cup (125 ml) chopped pecans or walnuts

Combine the flour and baking powder in a mixing bowl. Melt the butter
in a saucepan over low heat. Remove from the heat and stir in brown
sugar, egg, and vanilla. Add the to the flour mixture and stir to
combine thoroughly. Stir in the coconut and nuts. Press into a
lightly greased 8×8 inch (20×20 cm) baking pan and bake in a preheated 350F (180C) oven for 25 minutes. Cool and cut into bars. Serves 8 to 12.

 

[Trellum]

By coconut you mean that dry one that comes all shredded? This recipe sounds very good, I love all the coconut based desserts. they are just awesome! Specially coconut bars, there were some chocolates that had something like a coco bar on top of them. So good!

 

[cupcakechef]

Yum! I just saw this thread - I asked in the other thread if you could share the coconut bar recipe but you must have read my mind!

With the weather warming up, coconut desserts just remind me of summer - so it's perfect timing I think for me to make something coconutty!

 

[Diane Lane]

I still haven't made them. It's been a crazy week here, but hopefully things will get back on track, and I will be able to make them this weekend, or at least by the beginning of next week. I still don't have nuts, and I'm not sure if I'm going to the store before I'll make them, so I do think I'll stick to my plan of using chocolate as a substitute.

Yes, @Trellum, it's the shredded coconut that I'll use, and that's usually something I never run out of. Sometimes, if I don't have any treats in the house, I'll just eat some of that as a snack, and if you want to make the house smell really inviting, toast some up in a frying pan...it smells heavenly!!

@cupcakechef I love coconut year round, but you're right, I do think about it more and eat it more in the warm weather, although there's also a peak around Christmas, when I always make coconut macaroons .

 

[Winterybella]

I

By coconut you mean that dry one that comes all shredded? This recipe sounds very good, I love all the coconut based desserts. they are just awesome! Specially coconut bars, there were some chocolates that had something like a coco bar on top of them. So good!

I was wondering what kind of coconut myself. Wondered if it was flakes or grated coconut with nothing added. I have only been exposed to coconut flakes in recent times. All my years I watched as my mom slaved away grating her own coconuts. I guessed I helped as a child for the fun of it. Anyway I love to see coconut in a recipe and this one looks simple.

 

[Diane Lane]

I actually finally made them yesterday!! I didn't have nuts here, and considered adding some chocolate that I had shaved for that purpose, but I decided to just make the recipe as is, without the addition of nuts or chocolate, to see how it came out.

The bars came out nice. I had a little difficulty removing the center pieces, so I think I might lower the temperature about 25 degrees and cook the bars just a tiny bit longer next time, to crisp up the bottom center, or even possibly double the recipe and cook them in a 9" x 13" pan and do the same...cook for longer, to compensate for the increased volume. The taste was nice, they were mild, and I might consider adding a bit more vanilla, but I really liked them.

I used sweetened coconut flakes, because although I had both, and it didn't specify which to use, those were the ones that had been opened for the longest time (although sealed in a zipper bag), so I chose to use those up first.

 

[Winterybella]

I am glad you had success @Diane Lane. I have some old sweet flake hanging around for a long time now. I actually think it might be time to throw them out. I honestly shy away from anything that requires too much time and effort so actually using a grater and working with coconuts from scratch is not appealing to me. Call me lazy? I think it is more like too busy and always rushing.