Cranberry Pistachio Coconut Triangles
By America's Test KitchenPublished on February 17, 2012
Time
1½ hours, plus 1 hour cooling and 30 minutes setting
Yield
Makes about 1 1/2 dozen cookies
Ingredients
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (5⅔ ounces/160 grams) all-purpose flour 1 cup packed plus 2 tablespoons packed (7¾ ounces/220 grams) light brown sugar 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 5 pieces and chilled1 cup pistachio, toasted1 cup dried cranberries ¾ cup (2¼ ounces/64 grams) sweetened shredded coconut 1 large egg 2 tablespoons maple syrup ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract ½ teaspoon almond extract ½ teaspoon salt 4 ounces (113 grams) white chocolates, chopped
Before You Begin
We prefer white bar chocolate for the purest flavor and smoothest texture.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Make foil sling for 8-inch square baking pan by folding 2 long sheets of aluminum foil so each is 8 inches wide. Lay sheets of foil in pan perpendicular to each other, with extra foil hanging over edges of pan. Push foil into corners and up sides of pan, smoothing foil flush to pan. Grease foil.
- Pulse 1 cup flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, and butter in food processor until mixture resembles wet sand, about 10 pulses. Transfer mixture to prepared pan and press firmly into even layer. Bake until light golden, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely in pan.
- Place pistachios in zipper-lock bag and tap them with meat pounder until crushed. Toss cranberries, coconut, and pistachios in bowl, breaking up any clumps. Whisk egg, maple syrup, vanilla, almond extract, salt, remaining 2 tablespoons flour, and remaining 1 cup sugar together in large bowl. Fold in pistachio mixture, then spread evenly over cooled crust.
- Bake bars until deep golden brown and set, 20 to 25 minutes. Let bars cool completely in pan on wire rack. Using foil overhang, remove bars from pan. Cut into 9 squares and cut each square diagonally into 2 triangles.
- Microwave white chocolate in small bowl at 50 percent power, stirring occasionally, until melted, 30 to 60 seconds. Dip 1 corner of each triangle in melted chocolate and place on parchment paper–lined baking sheet. Refrigerate triangles until chocolate is set, about 30 minutes, before serving.
Time
1½ hours, plus 1 hour cooling and 30 minutes settingYield
Makes about 1 1/2 dozen cookiesIngredients
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (5⅔ ounces/160 grams) all-purpose flour
1 cup packed plus 2 tablespoons packed (7¾ ounces/220 grams) light brown sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 5 pieces and chilled
1 cup pistachio, toasted
1 cup dried cranberries
¾ cup (2¼ ounces/64 grams) sweetened shredded coconut
1 large egg
2 tablespoons maple syrup
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract
½ teaspoon salt
4 ounces (113 grams) white chocolates, chopped
Ingredients
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (5⅔ ounces/160 grams) all-purpose flour
1 cup packed plus 2 tablespoons packed (7¾ ounces/220 grams) light brown sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 5 pieces and chilled
1 cup pistachio, toasted
1 cup dried cranberries
¾ cup (2¼ ounces/64 grams) sweetened shredded coconut
1 large egg
2 tablespoons maple syrup
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract
½ teaspoon salt
4 ounces (113 grams) white chocolates, chopped
Ingredients
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (5⅔ ounces/160 grams) all-purpose flour
1 cup packed plus 2 tablespoons packed (7¾ ounces/220 grams) light brown sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 5 pieces and chilled
1 cup pistachio, toasted
1 cup dried cranberries
¾ cup (2¼ ounces/64 grams) sweetened shredded coconut
1 large egg
2 tablespoons maple syrup
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract
½ teaspoon salt
4 ounces (113 grams) white chocolates, chopped
Why This Recipe Works
As it turns out, you really can have it all—at least in the cookie world. This moist bar cookie features a melange of flavors and textures that complement one another, and its triangular shape makes it a looker. The base is a layer of buttery shortbread, just thick enough to support the topping. Next comes a chewy, almost candy-like layer that's chock-full of coconut, tart dried cranberries, and sweet, earthy toasted pistachios, all formed into a cohesive topping with the help of an egg and a little maple syrup. Almond extract, in addition to vanilla, gave this topping a warm, round flavor and pleasing aroma. To keep the cookies from being cloyingly sweet, we mixed ½ teaspoon of salt into the topping. And we couldn't resist a crowning touch: We dunked each cookie in complementary white chocolate, which also contributed visual appeal.
Before You Begin
We prefer white bar chocolate for the purest flavor and smoothest texture.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Make foil sling for 8-inch square baking pan by folding 2 long sheets of aluminum foil so each is 8 inches wide. Lay sheets of foil in pan perpendicular to each other, with extra foil hanging over edges of pan. Push foil into corners and up sides of pan, smoothing foil flush to pan. Grease foil.
- Pulse 1 cup flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, and butter in food processor until mixture resembles wet sand, about 10 pulses. Transfer mixture to prepared pan and press firmly into even layer. Bake until light golden, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely in pan.
- Place pistachios in zipper-lock bag and tap them with meat pounder until crushed. Toss cranberries, coconut, and pistachios in bowl, breaking up any clumps. Whisk egg, maple syrup, vanilla, almond extract, salt, remaining 2 tablespoons flour, and remaining 1 cup sugar together in large bowl. Fold in pistachio mixture, then spread evenly over cooled crust.
- Bake bars until deep golden brown and set, 20 to 25 minutes. Let bars cool completely in pan on wire rack. Using foil overhang, remove bars from pan. Cut into 9 squares and cut each square diagonally into 2 triangles.
- Microwave white chocolate in small bowl at 50 percent power, stirring occasionally, until melted, 30 to 60 seconds. Dip 1 corner of each triangle in melted chocolate and place on parchment paper–lined baking sheet. Refrigerate triangles until chocolate is set, about 30 minutes, before serving.
Gift This Recipe
Enjoyed this dish? Let others know by sharing it as a gift recipe.
Key Equipment
Keep Exploring
My Rating
This is a members' feature.
0 Comments