Ambrosia Streusel Bars with Shortbread Crust Recipe

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.

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

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. Bake at 400° for 30 minutes or until golden. Cool completely in pan. Lift bars from pan, using foil sides. Cut into squares.

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