Black-Bottom Coconut Bars

 These bars made a comeback at our bake day to add a touch of chocolate to our cookie boxes. With the gooeyness of a brownie on the bottom and the moist taste of a coconut macaroon on top, these unique treats are fun to create and to taste. From Everyday Food’s Holiday 2006 issue.

For the bottom layer:

1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pan (we use salted)

½ cup sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

1 large egg

¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

¼ cup all-purpose flour

For the topping:

2 large eggs

¾ cup sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 package (7 oz.) sweetened shredded coconut, with ½ cup reserved for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 375°. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil (we used a 9-in. by 13-in. pan for thinner bars), leaving a slight overhang. Butter bottom and sides of foil, but not overhang. In a bowl, whisk together melted butter, sugar, and salt until combined. Whisk in egg, then cocoa and flour until smooth, adding dry ingredients gradually to better incorporate. With a spatula, spread batter in prepared pan.

Bake just until sides begin to pull away from edges of pan, 10 to 15 minutes (ours were ready in 8), not overbaking. Let cool slightly while preparing coconut topping.

In a medium bowl, whisk eggs with sugar and vanilla. Gently mix in flour and coconut, except for reserved ½ cup.

Drop mounds of mixture over chocolate base. Spread and pat in gently and evenly with a rubber spatula, taking care not to tear the base. Sprinkle with reserved ½ cup coconut.

Bake until top is golden and a toothpick inserted in center comes out moist with crumbs attached, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool completely in pan. Using foil overhang, lift cake from pan onto cutting board. Cut as desired.