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Coconut Mixed Peel Squares

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Christmas, North American
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 16 squares
Calories: 208kcal
Author: Lord Byron's Kitchen
A quick and easy sweet treat which can be made almost entirely with items you already have in your pantry.  Coconut Mixed Peel Squares have a simple shortbread-like base, and are topped with a sweet, chewy topping consisting of an Old English fruit cake mix.  These squares are where fruitcake and shortbread marry to create the most delicious confection!
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Ingredients

For the base:

  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour

For the topping:

  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup unsweetened coconut
  • 1 cup mixed peel, see post for description and recommendations

Instructions

  • Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F
  • Next, line a 9x9 inch pan with parchment paper and set aside. Fold the parchment paper so that it fits snugly in the pan. I use two sheets – one folded to fit the length of the pan and another folded to fit across the pan. Allow the excess parchment paper to hang out over the side of the pan. Once the confection is firm, use the excess parchment to lift the whole block out of the pan to make it easy to cut into bars.
  • In a mixing bowl, beat to fully incorporate the butter, sugar, and flour amounts under the 'base' heading above. Mix on medium speed for a full 2 minutes. The mixture will be crumbly.
  • Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and gently press the mixture into the pan. Be sure to get into the corners. Use the bottom of a drinking glass or mug to evenly press the mixture.
  • Bake the base for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.
  • In the meantime, add the 'topping' ingredients to a mixing bowl and use your handheld mixer to just incorporate the ingredients. Don't over mix.
  • Pour the topping mixture over the base and spread out evenly.
  • Bake for 20 minutes.
  • Allow to cool completely before removing from the pan and cutting into squares.

Nutrition

Calories: 208kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 68mg | Potassium: 63mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 213IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg