Coconut Dream Bars

An unlikely combination of graham crackers, tender coconut, crunchy almonds, a soft eggy filling, topped off with sweet silky almond icing makes these Dream Bars simply dreamy.

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This is one of those recipes that came from the yellow and red tin my grandma gave me. I’ve put off making this recipe because I thought that there was no way it would be good… what a strange combination. It was the graham crackers that really threw me off. Would they create a weird texture altogether? Or create a weird texture when mixed in as crumbs?… Nope! They keep this incredibly special dessert together, it wouldn’t be the same without them. I was shocked when I tasted these bars for the first time.

How can these be so good?! I knew I had to share this recipe.

I will be honest, the mixture itself looks a bit…odd. Once the egg is whisked into the milk and butter, little egg particles are visible which was alarming at first. But once everything was combined and it had time to chill in the fridge, the outcome was better than I ever expected. Ahhh, and that almond icing. What an icing to top it all off.

A lot of these recipes I have no idea where they came from. Some of them have names of the people my grandma got them from. Others are scribbled full of old cursive and are hard to read. Sadly, I cannot ask her any more questions about where they came from as she left this world earlier this year. But I am honored that she gave me so many recipes and so much knowledge over the years.

Nothing is quite as good as grandma makes it, but I can get damn close and so can you.

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Recipe Notes:

Coconut Almond Egg Filling:

The first few steps of the recipe will ask that you beat an egg well. It’s important to fully whisk with a fork or whisk and incorporate the whites into yolks. If it isn’t fully incorporated you’ll be left with large sections of either egg whites or yolks. This will affect the texture and visual appeal of these Dream Bars.

Once the egg is fully whisked, then add it to the milk and butter mixture, again mixing well after incorporating since you’re cooking over heat. The milk and butter mixture will cook the eggs while you whisk.

After adding the remaining ingredients, the mixture will look broken, for a lack of better term. Visually you’ll see the egg whites and yolks in tiny little specs. This is totally normal. After the mixture cools and sets, the color separation will dissipate leaving a beautiful texture and flavor.

Vanilla Almond Icing:

She thick! We’re looking for a decently thick icing but thin enough to spread. Use a bit of elbow grease to mix all ingredients into a smooth icing then evenly spread over graham crackers. See Step by Step Instructions in “Make Vanilla Almond Icing & Finish Assembly” below.

Make Ahead and Allow for Resting Time:

You can make this a day or two ahead of time. The longer these Dream Bars rest the better it gets. Resting allows for the graham crackers to absorb the flavor of the filling and for the filling to become rich and satisfying.

I love an overnight rest. Make it, no need to cover it, throw it in the fridge to chill out.

When ready to serve, allow these Coconut Dream Bars to come to room temp. About 15-20 minutes.

Coconut Dream Bars Step by Step Instructions:

Prepare Baking Dish & Egg Mixture:

Add Remaining Ingredients & Assemble:

Make Vanilla Almond Icing & Finish Assembling:

dream bars are an old school dessert brought back to life for a new generation to enjoy

Bar Cravings:

Frosted Apple Bars: Gently cooked & sweetly spiced apples, encased in a light and flaky crust, topped with a vanilla glaze. These frosted apple bars are the best of them all.

Blackberry Crumb Bars: Absolutely brimming with fresh or frozen blackberries. A luscious golden-brown base topped with a tender, lightly browned crumble. These blackberry crumb bars are one of our top summertime favorite desserts.

Loaded Lemon Cheesecake Bars: Loaded lemon cheesecake bars absolutely brimming with fresh lemon zing. Lemon graham cracker crust, lemon infused granulated sugar, and freshly squeezed lemon juice. If you love lemon and cheesecake. These bars are for you!

What did you think?

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