Apricot Cashew Coconut Bars

Grab one for a decadent breakfast, or serve with ice cream for dessert. This treat is a part of the summer fruit menu.

Crust:
2 cups sweetened coconut flakes
2 cups cashews, lightly salted and roasted
¼ cup + 2 Tbsp. light brown sugar
2 Tbsp. sugar
2½ cups all-purpose flour or white whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp. lemon peel, finely grated
1 tsp. sea salt
24 Tbsp. (3 sticks) unsalted butter , chilled, cut into small pieces
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
½ cup rolled oats

Filling:
12 ripe apricots , each sliced into 8 pieces
¼ cup sugar
2 Tbsp. lemon juice, freshly squeezed (from about ½ lemon)

Caramel drizzle:
⅔ cup sugar
2 tsp. lemon juice, freshly squeezed (from about ¼ lemon)
1 tsp. corn syrup
¼ cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
½ tsp. sea salt

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C/170°C fan, Gas Mark 5). Grease a 13x9" baking pan that is at least 3" deep. Line with parchment and grease again; set aside.

Make the Crust:  
On a sheet tray with sides, toast 1½ cups coconut in oven, stirring every 4 minutes, until golden, 7-10 minutes. Set aside and cool 10 minutes. Meanwhile, put cashews in the bowl of a 10- or 12-cup food processor and pulse until finely ground.

Stir together sugars, flour, lemon peel, and salt in a bowl; add to the ground cashews in the food processor. Pulse 5-6 times to combine all dry ingredients, then add chilled butter and vanilla and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Transfer dough to a bowl and knead in toasted coconut and oats.

Reserve 1¼ cups dough. Press remaining dough evenly into prepared pan. Bake until set and golden, 20-24 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely, about 40 minutes.

Make the Filling:  
Combine apricots, sugar, and lemon juice in a large skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

Spread apricots evenly over cooled crust. Crumble reserved dough over apricots and sprinkle with remaining ½ cup untoasted coconut. Bake until golden and set, 40-45 minutes, rotating pan after 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool.

Make the Caramel Drizzle:  
Combine sugar, 3 Tbsp. water, lemon juice, and corn syrup in a small saucepan; stir until combined. Cover and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. When parts of mixture begin to turn the colour of a copper penny, quickly and gently swirl pan until the whole mixture is a copper colour. Remove from heat and whisk in cream, butter, and salt. Set aside to cool and thicken.

Drizzle caramel over cooled bars. Slice and serve immediately, or refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Makes 24 bars.