My friend Carla from the Chocolate Moosey and I had a cookbook exchange and mini bake off last year. I really goofed it up. Here’s my story.
Last October, Carla posted about a cookbook exchange. She had two copy’s of “Pillsbury’s 15th Grand National 100 New Bake-Off Recipes”, cookbook from 1964. What do you do with an extra copy? Sell it? Donate it? Give it away? Give it away! That was what she did. But with a twist. She collects cookbooks and wanted to do a trade. That’s where I come in. I answered her call. A cookbook exchange sounded like a fun idea.
We exchanged a few e-mails and came up with the idea to have our own bake-off. So Carla picked a recipe from a few that I suggested.
Apple Harvest Squares. We both baked our recipe and published our post, and proceeded to visit each others blog. That was when we noticed that I screwed up. I didn’t bake the Harvest Apple Squares. Somehow, I had it in my head that we were making the Sweet Applets. I don’t know how that happened. I can only say, I must of had a brain fart. It was totally my fault. I just didn’t think, I guess. I still don’t get it. Anyway, Carla and I had a good laugh over it.Fast forward 5 months
Carla is hosting Weekend Cookbook Challenge #27 for April and decided to go with Vintage Cookbooks as the theme. That means you pick a cookbook dated before 1980. Guess what Carla made? Uh huh, you know it. Sweet Applets from our 1964 Pillsbury bake-off cookbook. So you know what that means. 
I had some baking to do. I finally baked the correct recipe. 5 months later.
Apple Harvest Bars. It tasted like apple pie with coconut macaroon topping! Sweet and cinnamonny, a little tart do to the granny smith apples I used.The recipe said to make it in a 9×13 inch pan but I would use a 9 inch square pan if I were to make these again. The crust layer was kind of thin and I would like it thicker. But other then that, I would make these again.They were very easy. Best served warm. I recommend with ice cream!
I’m serving this up to Carla with a scoop of ice cream for the Vintage Weekend Cookbook Challenge!
Apple Harvest squares
Source: Pillsbury’s 15th Grand National 100 New Bake-Off Recipes, 1964
Base
1 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
2 cups chopped apples (I used Granny Smith)
1/8 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
2 cups chopped apples (I used Granny Smith)
1/8 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Topping
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 cups flaked coconut
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 cups flaked coconut
1. Preheat oven to 375F. Grease the bottom of a 13×9 pan.
2. Sift together flour, 1/3 cup sugar, and salt. Cut in butter until particles are fine. Press into bottom of pan. Arrange apples on top. Combine 1/8 cup sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle on top. Bake for 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, combine 1/2 cup sugar, milk, vanilla, walnuts, and coconut. Spoon over baked base. Bake for another 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.
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{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
Yum Megan! I was wondering what to do with all my leftover coconut..will colored coconut work?
he he he..
Megan, These look great! Apple pie with coconut macaroon topping, wow! Great flavors.
Now we are even heehee
Megan, these sound fantastic! I don’t think I’ve ever had apples and coconut together, but now I’m not sure why not.
These sound so delicious. I love the idea of the coconut topping. And your story is so funny – glad things came to a full circle!
Those apple squares look really good!
Apple and coconut as a combo sounds very interesting. Great pics!
Lucky you. I love a good vinateg cookbook. Great idea for the exchange.
I’m counting these apples as part of my 5 fruits/veg a day!!
For your daily dose of vintage goodness & a bit of silliness, stop by Confessions of an Apron Queen, the home of Vintage Thingies Thursdays.
looks awesome!
Those look great, I love anything with apples. Thanks for taking part in WCC.