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.

SPICED POTATO CIGARILLOS, Vegan, low-fat, wallet-friendly

Cross-cultural foodies will get a kick out of these punchy canapes... 

 Vegan Indian-style 'chip butties': baked not fried; easy 
'Wow! Really good & spicy; they could be even hotter.' Taster

 updated 02.04.20; O: 27.6.18

Spiced Indian potatoes wrapped in Chinese pastry are oven-baked, not fried, ensuring crispness without grease.  They're much lower in fat than many starters but score high on the 'I-want-more-o-metre!'.

The Potato Cigarillos may not boast the same golden colour that deep-fried starters do but no one will care once they're dipped in the coriander sauce.  After the first tentative bite, the face of 67's taster lit up like a lightbulb.  

Inexpensive potatoes do a good job of soaking up alcohol and if they are as tasty as these cigarillos, that's a bonus.   

The cigarillos are easy to make and, though several Indian spices are used, no exotic (ie expensive) spices are required.  

If you don't have wonton wrappers in the freezer, use phyllo (see Tips below).

Don't bother with the usual fiddly technique of folding in the sides of the pastry before rolling tightly.  Simply shape the spiced potato (photo below) then roll the pastry tightly round it; press or pinch the ends together.  Simples!  Kids will love to help.  

The potato filling and the dip can be prepped up to 2 days ahead; the cigarillos are best formed on the day of baking.

Bake in oven or air fryer

Cost: £3.25'ish (use leftover spring roll/phyllo pastry for another recipe)
Makes: 12-24 pieces depending on size (recipe multiplies easily)

Ingreds:
   1.5 tbsp vegetable oil

   1/8 tsp mustard seeds (opt)   
   100gm/3.5oz onions

   garam masala: min 1 tbsp (mild) - 
       max 1.5 tbsp (spicy)
   1-2 med cloves garlic, finely grated 
   1/2 tsp curry powder
   1/2 tsp dried ginger 
       (OR 1/4tsp finely grated fresh peeled) 
   1/4 tsp cumin
   1/4 tsp turmeric
   generous pinch chilli flakes (scant 1/8 tsp)

   375gm/13oz cooked potatoes, peeled & mashed
   scant 1/4 cup water or stock
   1/2 cup frozen peas

   

   1/4 lemon, juice & zest
   1/4 tsp dried coriander
   scant 1/8 tsp sumac (opt)
   salt & pepper
   
  20 spring roll wrappers
     (OR equiv phyllo pastry)

Coriander Dip:
    200gm/7oz 0-fat dairy/plant yoghurt 
    4gm(12 stems) fresh coriander
    small clove garlic
    1/2 tsp sugar (opt)

Method:

1. Cook, peel & mash potatoes; cool 
2. Coarsely process onions OR finely dice OR coarsely grate (box grater) 
3. Mix garam, curry, ginger, cumin, turmeric, chilli; set aside
4. Heat a deep frying pan over high; add oil then mustard seeds, if using
5. Reduce heat to med-high; cook until seeds start to crackle & smell fragrant
6. Add onions; stir; cook 2 mins; add garlic & mixed spices; cook a minute more 
7. Lower heat to med; add potato, peas, water; stir well; cook 4-5 mins
8. Take off heat; add lemon juice & zest, dried coriander and sumac, if using 
9. Season with salt & pepper to taste; refrigerate up to 2 days 
10. Whizz dip ingredients in processor or with smoothie maker; refrigerate up to 2 days 
11. When ready to bake, preheat oven or air fryer to 200c/400f.; bring ingreds to room temperature, say 20 mins.   
12. Brush pastry squares lightly with light veg oil (67 used peanut oil), covering remainder with a damp j-cloth to prevent drying out
13. Dollop a generous tablespoon of filling on one edge; make a sausage shape (kids can help at this stage) 
    
    
    
14. Roll up the pastry tightly - the potato will squash sideways a little - and press or pinch the ends.
15. Place on a baking rack in a tray, covering with another damp j-cloth until all the cigarillos are complete
16. Brush the tops of the cigarillos lightly with oil
17. Bake 20 mins in centre of the oven or in air fryer lined with foil
18. Halve at an angle
19. Best served warm

Pressed/pinched ends save a world of fiddling

Comments:

'Wow!  These are really really good.  I love spicy things and these could be even hotter for me.  The sauce is a good match.  They are definitely better hot from the oven or microwave!' Campaign Manager

Tips:

• Baking in advance: Reheat at 170c/325f in bottom of oven 10-15 mins OR microwave on high 5 seconds  
• The Blogger found this quite spicy though the taster loved it
• An inexpensive air fryer produced crisp, dry, more crunchy results.  The oven-baked were enhanced by spending the last 5 mins on the top shelf.  

   
Please leave a comment in the box below.

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