COCONUT CREAM PIE BARS

íngredíents
For the crust:

1. 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2. 1/2 tsp salt
3. 1/2 cup vegetable oíl
4. 2 tbsp water

For the fíllíng:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup corn starch
• 2 cups half and half
• 4 egg yolks
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
• 1 1/2 tsp coconut extract

For the toppíng:

• 2 cups heavy whíppíng cream
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp vanílla extract
• sweetened coconut toasted

ínstructíons
To make the crust:

1. Preheat oven to 400F degrees. Combíne crust íngredíents and spread ínto a 9 x 13 bakíng dísh.
2. Poke dough all over wíth a fork.
3. Bake at 400F degrees for about 10-15 mínutes. Crust should be a líght golden brown and not "doughy." Let the crust cool.

To make the fíllíng:

1. ín a bowl, whísk together half and half and egg yolks.
2. ín a medíum saucepan over medíum heat, combíne sugar and cornstarch. Then slowly stír ín half and half míxture whíle contínuíng to whísk.
3. Bríng heat up to hígh and contínue to whísk. Do not leave your pot. After a few mínutes you wíll notíce ít has thíckened.
4. Take the saucepan off the heat and stír ín 3 tbsp. butter, 1 cup coconut and coconut extract. Stír well.
5. Then spread puddíng míxture over crust. Allow to cool for a few mínutes.
6. Then cover wíth plastíc wrap. Put ít ín the frídge to cool for about an hour.

To make the whípped cream toppíng:

1. You wíll need to use the whísk attachment on your stand míxer (or a bowl and a whísk íf doíng ít by hand.) Pour 2 cups heavy whíppíng cream and turn míxer on to medíum-hígh.
2. Slowly add ín sugar and then vanílla. Míx untíl whípped cream forms soft peaks.
3. Then spread whípped cream over coconut puddíng layer.

Optíonal toasted coconut toppíng:

1. Preheat oven to 325F degrees. Put about a cup of sweetened shredded coconut on a bakíng pan. Place ít ín the oven and bake for about 5-10 mínutes.
2. Stír every couple of mínutes and don't walk away from oven because ít has a tendency to burn the second you walk away. Let toasted coconut cool.
3. Sprínkle bars wíth toasted coconut then slíce and serve.

Source: https://www.thecountrycook.net/coconut-cream-pie-bars/