Leslie Karst here, pleased as piña colada punch to welcome the fab Peggy Ehrhart to the Kitchen! Not only is she providing a recipe for mouth-watering piña colada bars, but she's also giving away a copy of Christmas Scarf Murder to one lucky commenter! (See giveaway at end of post.) Take it away, Peggy!
In Death by Christmas Scarf, Knit and Nibble member Roland DeCamp serves no-fuss snowman cookies that he has cleverly created using ready-made sugar-cookie dough, ready-made vanilla icing, and shredded coconut. For a picture of them and illustrated directions for making them, visit the Christmas Scarf Murder page on my website.
I made the cookies myself, of course, to test out the process and to get the photos, and I ended up with a great deal of leftover shredded coconut, which I’ve been storing in my freezer, casting about for other things to do with it.
The novellas in Christmas Scarf Murder are all set at Christmas, but the weather is too warm in September to think about holiday-themed recipes. Instead, I came up with Piña Colada Bars, evoking the tropical drink and perfect for the summery days we’re still having in New Jersey. They’re based on those yummy lemon bars with a lemony layer atop a shortbread crust.
One can scarcely think of a recipe idea that someone else hasn’t thought of too, and sure enough there are recipes for Piña Colada Bars out on the internet. This recipe, however, is my own version.
Piña Colada Bars
Ingredients
For the shortbread crust:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
10 tbsp. butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla
For the topping:
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
2 tbsp. butter, melted
2 cups crushed pineapple, drained
3/4 cup shredded coconut, divided
NOTE: A 20 oz. can of crushed pineapple will yield exactly the amount of pineapple you need when drained. You will also end up with a nice amount of juice to drink.
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Make the shortbread crust:
Combine the dry ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and stir to mix. Add the 10 tbsp. melted butter together with the vanilla and stir to blend. The dough will be stiff.
Turn the dough into a buttered 8” x 8” baking pan and use your hands to press it down smoothly. It should cover the bottom of the pan.
Bake it in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. It will not be brown when ready to come out.
While it bakes, make the topping:
Using an electric mixer, beat together the remaining 1/3 cup sugar, the egg, and the 2 tbsp. melted butter.
With a spoon, gently stir in the pineapple and 1/2 cup of the shredded coconut.
Spread the topping evenly over the baked shortbread crust. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup shredded coconut on top.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. The edges will be slightly brown when it’s done and the topping should be firm, not jiggly.
Wait until it’s thoroughly cool and then cut it into 8 bars—or more for smaller servings. (See photo at top.) And here’s a close-up:
Readers: For a chance to win Christmas Scarf Murder, the new Kensington release featuring Christmas-themed novellas by me, Maddie Day, and Carlene O'Connor, answer this question: Do you have a favorite holiday recipe? (Please include your email address so I can contact you if you win.)
About Peggy and Her Books:
Peggy Ehrhart is a former English professor who currently writes the Knit & Nibble mystery series for Kensington. The eighth book in the series, Death of a Knit Wit, appeared in March and her Christmas novella, Death by Christmas Scarf, is included in Kensington’s just-released Christmas Scarf Murder. Her amateur sleuth, Pamela Paterson, is the founder of the Knit & Nibble knitting club, and Peggy herself is a devoted crafter. Visit her at www.PeggyEhrhart.com
