Recipe Exchange- Cranberry Coconut Bars

I concocted this recipe this afternoon for a recipe exchange party tonight, but after sampling it, I decided to alter some of the ingredients-- removing the chocolate chips, (before posting it on the blog), as the chocolate chips did not go as well with it as I had first expected; and adding more sugar to sweeten up the cranberries. Most likely the recipe below would be good with apricots substituted for cranberries, if you lower the sugar a bit, or you could try using figs...

Cranberry Coconut Bars

1 1/2 cups of unbleached wheat flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1 cup sweetened, shredded coconut

1/2 cup coconut oil (cool- solid)

2 eggs

1 cups brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a two quart casserole dish, set aside.
In a stand mixer combine the flour, brown sugar baking powder, salt, and coconut. Mix on medium speed

until well blended. Add coconut oil and mix (as if making pie crust), when the mixture resembles course crumbs add the eggs and mix just until dough forms into the consistency of cookie dough.  Spread flour mixture into the bottom (ends up being about 3/4” thick). Set aside.

Cranberry topping:

1 (12oz.) bag of fresh cranberries

2 cups raw sugar

3/4 cup water

1/2 cup orange juice concentrate

1 ts cinnamon sugar

1 dash of ground cloves

1 cup sweetened shredded coconut (set aside for sprinkling on top)

In a small saucepan combine cranberries, sugar, cinnamon sugar, ground cloves and water. Turn on high heat, bring to a boil and turn down to medium low. Add the orange juice concentrate and continue cooking for 15-17 minutes (stirring continually) or until sauce is thickened considerably and the cranberries are popped. Remove from burner and pour over the flour crust, spreading evenly. Sprinkle with remaining coconut. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes- the coconut will look lightly toasted. Enjoy!