Black Bottom Coconut Bars

I've been a slacker lately when it comes to the Cookie Carnival but as soon as they e-mailed the recipe for this month I knew I was in. The bottom layer is a rich chocolate brownie then topped with a chewy macaroon like coconut topping. They came together fairly easily and quickly, and used ingredients I had already. Bonus, I think they look so pretty. I refrigerated mine and they cut up really nicely. I think they would look great on a plate or in a celaphane bag with a pretty bow as a gift. I wish my brother in law Vince lived closer I'd rush some right over as he is a big fan of coconut.

Black Bottom Coconut Bars

Martha Stewart

Ingredients

FOR CHOCOLATE BASE
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for pan
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)

FOR COCONUT TOPPING
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 package sweetened shredded coconut (7 ounces), 1/2 cup reserved for sprinkling

Directions
For chocolate base: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving a slight overhang; butter bottom and sides of foil (not overhang).
Place butter in a large microwave-safe bowl; melt in microwave. Add sugar and salt; whisk to combine. Whisk in egg, then cocoa and flour until smooth. Spread batter in prepared pan.
Bake just until sides begin to pull away from edges of pan, 10 to 15 minutes (do not overbake). Let cool slightly while preparing coconut topping. Keep oven on for topping.
For coconut topping: In a medium bowl, whisk eggs with sugar and vanilla. Gently mix in flour and coconut (except 1/2 cup reserved for sprinkling).
Drop mounds of mixture over chocolate base; spread and pat in gently and evenly with moistened fingers. Sprinkle with reserved 1/2 cup coconut.
Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs attached, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool completely in pan. Lift cake from pan, peel off foil, and cut into 24 bars. Store in an airtight container 3 to 4 days. Makes 24 bars. *I beg to differ. Those would be really small portions. I got about 16 out of mine.*

Posted by: Sallie