Marionberry Coconut Cream Squares

Prep time: 1 hour and 6-8 hours refrigeration time. Serves 12 –15

Crust

• 4 cups Puffins Honey Rice Cereal or other whole grain cereal of choice
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 1 stick (8 Tablespoons) butter

Pulse cereal and almonds in the work bowl of a food processor until fine crumbs form. Melt butter and pour into bowl of food processor. Pulse until mixture just begins to stick together. Pat mixture into the bottom of prepared pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Cool completely.

Cream layer

• 3-8oz packages of cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 cup coconut cream (such as Coco Lopez)
• 2 tablespoon coconut flavored rum
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 teaspoon pure coconut extract
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Whip together cream cheese, coconut cream, rum, lime juice and coconut extract until smooth and creamy. Spread gently onto the cooled crust. Top cream layer with 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut. Chill in refrigerator for 1-2 hours, until firm to the touch.

Marionberry layer

• 2 Tablespoons lime juice
• 8 Cups frozen Marionberries or other blackberries, divided
• 1/4 Cup sugar
• 3 Tablespoons corn starch

Heat 4 cups frozen berries and sugar together on medium/low in a saucepan until berries are soft and release juices. Take 4 tablespoons hot berries from pan and mix into cornstarch in a small bowl. Stir until blended. Add cornstarch mix back into pan and stir constantly until thickened, this will happen quickly. Remove pan from heat and cool completely. While berry mixture cools, defrost remaining 4 cups of Marionberries by placing them on several layers of paper toweling and then blotting top of berries to remove excess juice. When mixture is cooled, stir in defrosted Marionberries carefully to help berries keep shape. Spread berries evenly on top of cream layer and return to refrigerator. Chill for 4-6 hours.

Garnish

• 2 cups whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons lime zest in long strands

Put cream in a large bowl along with sugar and vanilla. Whip until stiff peaks form. Garnish each serving with whipped cream and lime zest, if desired.

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