Tropical Jammy Pie Bars

Shanna

Tropical Jammy Pie bars adapted from Hummingbird High's new baking book "Weeknight Baking" Made with mango pineapple jam and a coconut macadamia nut streusel topping.

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Prep Time 30

Cook Time 1

Additional Time 20

Total Time 1 50

Ingredients

For the Shortbread Crust:

2 ¼ cups 10.15 ounces all purpose flour
⅔ cup 2.65 ounces confectioners sugar, sifted
pinch of kosher salt about ¼ tsp
1 cup 8 ounces unsalted butter, at room temperature
⅓ c unsweetened flaked coconut (pulsed in food processor to make smaller pieces)

Filling:

1 ½ cups 18 ounces seedless jam of choice ( I used St. Dalfour Mango Pineapple Jam)

For the Streusel:

1 cup 4.5 ounces all purpose flour
½ cup 4 ounces VERY COLD unsalted butter, cut into cubes*
½ cup 3.75 ounces tightly packed dark brown sugar
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
pinch of ground cinnamon
⅓ cup salted macadamia nuts
⅓ cup unsweetened coconut flakes

Instructions

Make the crust:

Preheat oven to 350 Deg F. Prepare a 9x13 inch pan with cooking spray, line with parchment paper long enough that there is a 2 inch overhang on each sides ( for lifting the bars out once done baking) and lightly spray the parchment.
In a bowl of a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, combine the flour, sugar, salt and coconut. Beat on low until combined. Add the butter and beat on low until the dough comes together, about 2-3 minutes.
Transfer dough to prepared pan and spread the dough out evenly to the edges using a tart tamper ( or in my case a cocktail muddler) and or your hands. Place a sheet of parchment over the dough and fill with pie weights. If you don’t have pie weights you can use rice or dried beans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until crust is golden brown. Carefully remove the parchment filled with the pie weights and cool slightly in pan on a wire rack. Keep oven on.
If making same day go ahead and continue on to the next steps immediately. Check notes for making these over two days.

Filling and finishing the bars:

While the crust is baking make the streusel. Pulse the macadamia nuts and coconut together in a food processor. Add in the rest of the ingredients and pulse to combine. Transfer to a medium bowl and add in the cold butter cubes. Rub the dry ingredients into the butter until the mixture is crumbly and looks like coarse meal with some pieces pea sized. Refrigerate until ready to use.
When the crust is baked top with the jam then cover with the streusel. Break up any large streusel clumps with hands. Bake again for another 25 to 30 minutes until jam is bubbly and streusel is golden brown.
Cool bars in pan on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes, or until the streusel topping feels firm. Run a knife along the edges to loosen then carefully lift the bars out of the pan using the parchment overhang as handles (this might take two people to carefully lift so the bars don’t break) and place on a cutting board. Slice into 20 pieces (about 2 ¼ to 2 ½ inch rectangles), and serve. The pie bars can be stored in a resealable bag or airtight container up to 2 days.
These would be amazing served warm with a scoop or two of vanilla ice cream.

Notes

To make these pie bars over two days make the pie crust the first day. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and keep at room temperature. Make the streusel the first day and keep refrigerated until the next day. In Michelle’s instructions in her book she has making the streusel the second day which works as well. I prefer to make it a day ahead of time to keep it super chilled.

One the second day of making the bars, preheat the oven to 350 Deg again, reheat the pie crust for 5 minutes then removed from oven and spread the jam over the pre-baked pie crust then top with the streusel topping. Return to oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. Follow directions stated above once the bars are done baking.

These bars originally call for a seedless jam of choice. If you would like to make these as is stated in the original recipe swap the mango pineapple jam for a jam of your choosing, omit the coconut in the crust and streusel as well as the macadamia nuts. No need to swap them with any other ingredients.