PINEAPPLE BLUEBERRY COCONUT BARS, an indulgence

Fresh pineapple combines with nutty coconut and blueberries for a summery treat of American-style 'bars'...

Summer Delights: Pineapple, Blueberry & Coconut 'Bars'
'Mmm. Crumbly!  Lovely taste, very very good flavour.' 'Great bars! I loved the texture,  the pineappley flavour & coconut.' Tasters

American 'bars' are a cross between a cookie and a cake, or an English crumble and a biscuit. However you define them, 67's Pineapple, Blueberry, Ginger & Coconut Bar is a knockout summer sweet

Fresh pineapple, low in sugar despite its refreshing sweetness, is a favourite of 67goingon50 especially since ripen-at-home pineapples are available at the ridiculous price of £1 (or less). 

Plain Pineapple Filling
from Crunchy Creamy Sweet

67's recipe was adapted from Crunchy Creamy Sweet and was a delight to test.  67 made one with fresh pineapple and one with tinned.  Fresh came out on top - it had stronger flavour - but the tinned was also good. 
   
Pineapple has plenty of fibre but 67 replaced a bit of the plain flour with wholemeal to add nuttiness.  

The bars are perfectly okay as they are with a plain pineapple filling.

But to add a bit of pizazz, 67 threw in a few blueberries for colour and a little chopped ginger (from syrup) for contrasting layers of sweetness.  Both these changes are optional. 



Cost:£2.50'ish (2022)
Makes: 9 large; 20 small portions
 
Ingredients:
   113gm/4oz unsalted butter 

  187.5gm/6.6oz plain flour, including 3-4 tbsp wholemeal
   85gm/3oz unsweetened coconut
   100gm/3.5oz sugar
   1/2 tsp baking soda
   1/2 tsp baking powder
   1/4 tsp salt

   290gm/10.5oz fresh pineapple, crushed & drained, if using blueberries (see  recipe below)
   OR
   315gm/generous 11 oz fresh pineapple, crushed & drained, if not using blueberries
   OR
   1 tin 435gm/143oz tin of crushed pineapple, drained
  
   3 tbsp sugar (67 used 2 generous tbsp of molasses sugar; it was fine)
   2 tbsp cornstarch (67 was out of cornstarch and used rice flour instead which was fine; you could also use ground almonds)

     2 handfuls blueberries (opt) 
   2 balls ginger from syrup, finely diced (opt)



Method:

1. Line an 8x8inch/20x20cm pan, metal if possible, with greaseproof paper leaving a large overhang
2. Melt butter gently; cool a little; place in fridge 4 mins
3. Preheat oven to 180c/350f
4. Pour coconut into a dry pan; bake in oven 5 mins or until beginning to brown; add to dry ingred in a med bowl; whisk
5. Add cooled butter; mix with a fork until mixture forms crumbs
6. Remove a scant cup of the crumble mix; set aside; pour the rest of the mix into the baking pan and press down to form an even base; smooth out with the back of a measuring cup
7. Mix pineapple, sugar and cornstarch; pour over base, spreading to edges
8. Scatter over blueberries and ginger, if using
9. Cover with rest of crumble mix 
10. Bake in centre of oven 25mins or until deeply browned
11. Cool
12. Remove from tin by lifting greaseproof paper; slice into bars

Jazzed Up (Uncut) Version with Blueberries & Ginger from Syrup

Comments:

• 'Mmm!  This would be ideal in a summer buffet, in cupcake holders because they're very crumbly.  They're nice and sweet; all the flavours work to form a singular whole - no one ingredient dominates.' Political Agent
• 'Great bars! I loved the texture and the pineapple-y flavour. Slight hint of coconut is always a winner as well.  They’re incredibly more-ish!  One of your best for sure.' Campaign Manager
• 'Delicious!' Armed Forces Charity Senior Rep
• 'Gorgeous!' London underground train driver

Tips:

• The coconut in 67's bars were not as dry as those photographed for Crunchy Creamy Sweet, despite toasting the coconut separately in the oven for 5 minutes.  The bars were baked in 67's pyrex/glass baking dish - a metal one might be more suitable.
• See How to...deal with fresh pineapple 

More fruity desserts on NavBar: RecipesI

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This recipe has  been adapted  by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission.