Tropical Dream Dessert Bars

Rating: 5Prep Time: 20 minutesCook Time: 45 minutesTotal Time: 1 hour, 5 minutesYield: 24 barsServing Size: 1 bar

Tropical Dream Dessert Bars

Ingredients

Crust
• 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 sticks (1 cup) cold unsalted butter, cubed
Tropical filling
• 1 cup chopped dried apricots
• 1/3 cup orange juice
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup drained crushed pineapple
Glaze
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons orange zest
• 2-3 tablespoons orange juice

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F and line a 13x9 baking pan with foil so that foil hangs over the edge. Spray foil with cooking spray.
For the Crust
2. In bowl of your food processor, pulse to combine flour, powdered sugar and baking powder. Add butter all at once and process until coarse crumbs are formed, just as the dough begins to come together. Dump crumb mixture into prepared pan and press evenly. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes or until light golden brown. Let crust cool completely on wire rack.
For the Filling
3. Combine apricots and orange juice in a small bowl and set aside.
4. Wipe out the food processor bowl and add all four eggs. Pulse to lightly beat the eggs. Add sugar and process for one minute. Add vanilla and pulse to combine. Add flour, baking powder and salt and pulse a few times to combine. Add apricot mixture and the pineapple and pulse quickly a few time, just to combine. Pour mixture over the cooled crust and spread. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until filling is set and edges are lightly browned.
5. Remove from oven and place on cooling rack. Allow to cool completely in the pan. Cut into squares.
For the Glaze
6. Add melted butter, orange zest and one tablespoon of the orange juice to the powdered sugar. Stir to combine and add small amounts of remaining juice, as needed, until you reach a thick drizzling consistency. Drizzle over individual squares. Allow glaze to set before serving.