Macadamia And Coconut Bars

Total Time: 3 hrs 20 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr 40 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 40 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 32
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, lightly packed, divided
• 3 eggs, divided
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 1/4 cups flour, sifted, plus
• 2 tablespoons flour, sifted
• 1 1/2 cups salted macadamia nuts
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups coconut, shred lightly packed, divided

Recipe

• 1 wet inside of a 13" x 9" pan; line with aluminum foil. butter the foil.
• 2 place pan in freezer or refrigerator.
• 3 beat butter until soft.
• 4 add 1/2 cup of the brown sugar; beat until well-mixed.
• 5 beat in 1 egg and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
• 6 beating on low speed, add 1-1/4 cups flour and beat only until incorporated.
• 7 place mixture by very small spoonfuls all over bottom of cold pan.
• 8 with floured fingertips, carefully, patiently, and slowly spread the dough in an even layer all over bottom of pan, re-flouring fingertips often.
• 9 bake at 350 degrees fahrenheit until set, about 15 minutes.
• 10 remove pan from oven and let stand.
• 11 do not turn off oven.
• 12 shake nuts gently in a wide strainer to remove excess salt; set aside.
• 13 sift together the 2 tablespoons flour, pinch salt and baking powder; set aside.
• 14 beat remaining 2 eggs and remaining 1 cup brown sugar until thoroughly mixed.
• 15 beat in sifted ingredients.
• 16 gently stir in 1 -1/2 cup coconut (reserve remaining coconut) and nuts.
• 17 place mixture by tablespoons evenly over top of bottom layer.
• 18 with the bottom of a spoon spread into a smooth very thin layer.
• 19 sprinkle with remaining 1 cup coconut.
• 20 bake at 350 degrees fahrenheit, reversing pan front to back once during baking, until top is richly browned and toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean, about 25 minutes.
• 21 cool.
• 22 cover with a cookie sheet and turn upside down.
• 23 remove pan and carefully peel off the foil.
• 24 cover with wax paper and another cookie sheet or cutting board and turn upside down again, leaving cake right-side up.
• 25 refrigerate for a few hours or more or place in freezer for about 1 hour.
• 26 cut into 32 even bars.
• 27 wrap each bar in either clear cellophane or wax paper, or place bars in airtight container with wax paper between layers.