Ambrosia Streusel Bars with Shortbread Crust Recipe

Name: Ambrosia Streusel Bars with Shortbread Crust Recipe
Total time: 130 min
Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour; 1/2 cup powdered sugar; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon baking powder; 1 1/4 cups cold butter, cut into pieces; 2 large egg yolks; 1 1/2 cups fresh pineapple chunks; 1 cup orange marmalade; 2 tablespoons granulated sugar; 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice; 2 teaspoons cornstarch; 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/2 cup drained maraschino cherries, coarsely chopped; 1/2 cup granulated sugar; 1/2 cup all-purpose flour; 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt; 3 tablespoons cold butter, cut into pieces; 1 cup toasted coconut chips (such as Dang)

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Serve ambrosia in a new way this holiday season. Use the foil as a handle to remove the cooled batch from the pan for easy slicing.

By Southern Living Editors

Updated on February 14, 2022

Ambrosia Streusel Bars with Shortbread Crust — Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Hands On Time:

30 mins

Total Time:

2 hrs 10 mins

Yield:

12 to 16 squares

Ingredients

CRUST

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 cups cold butter, cut into pieces
2 large egg yolks

FILLING

1 1/2 cups fresh pineapple chunks
1 cup orange marmalade
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup drained maraschino cherries, coarsely chopped

STREUSEL

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons cold butter, cut into pieces
1 cup toasted coconut chips (such as Dang)

Directions

Prepare Crust: Preheat oven to 400°. Pulse first 4 ingredients in a food processor 2 to 3 times or until combined. Add 1 1/4 cups cold butter pieces, 2 or 3 pieces at a time, pulsing after each addition. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, pulsing after each addition. Process until mixture is crumbly.
Line a 13- x 9-inch pan with aluminum foil, extending foil over sides. Butter and flour foil. Press flour mixture into bottom of pan. Bake at 400° for 12 minutes.
Prepare Filling: Pulse pineapple in food processor until coarsely chopped. Bring pineapple, marmalade, and next 4 ingredients to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Boil, stirring often, 1 minute. Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes. Stir in cherries, and spread in prepared crust.
Prepare Streusel: Stir together 1/2 cup granulated sugar and next 2 ingredients; cut butter into sugar mixture with a pastry blender until it resembles coarse meal. Stir in coconut; sprinkle over pineapple mixture.
Bake at 400° for 30 minutes or until golden. Cool completely in pan. Lift bars from pan, using foil sides. Cut into squares.