Passionfruit Haupia Bars

Aloha y’all! These Passionfruit Haupia bars are bomb! Have you ever had haupia before? It is a classic, creamy Hawaiian dessert made with coconut milk, sugar, and arrowroot powder/cornstarch. It is commonly served at luaus at potlucks. It’s super easy to make and you probably have all the ingredients on hand!

A butter macadamia-sesame shortbread will serve as the base for these bars, with a liliko’i (passionfruit) curd in the middle to cut through the richness.

Daycia and I hosted a karaoke / vegan potluck party last week. It was fun! I’m quite shy but I enjoy getting out of my comfort zone. Of course, the cooking was where I could really shine. This was one of my contributions! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Macadamia Shortbread Crust

Ingredients:

• 1 cup macadamia nuts, finely ground

• 1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted

• 1 cup all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour)

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 1/2 cup cold vegan butter (or regular butter), cubed

• Pinch of salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C).

2. Prepare the Macadamia Nuts: Pulse the macadamia nuts in a food processor until finely ground.

3. Mix the Dough: In a bowl, combine the ground macadamia nuts, sesame seeds, flour, sugar, and salt. Add the cold butter and cut it into the dry ingredients until it resembles coarse crumbs.

4. Press into Pan: Press the dough evenly into a greased 9x9-inch square baking pan.

5. Bake: Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the crust is lightly golden brown. Let it cool while you prepare the fillings.

Passionfruit (Liliko’i) Curd Layer

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup liliko’i (passionfruit) juice (fresh or frozen and thawed)

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

• 2 tablespoons water

• 2 tablespoons vegan butter (or regular butter)

Instructions:

1. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a small saucepan, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch.

2. Add Liquid: Stir in the passionfruit juice and water until smooth.

3. Cook: Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and begins to bubble. Remove from heat and stir in the butter until it melts and combines.

4. Cool Slightly: Let the curd cool for 10-15 minutes, then spread evenly over the shortbread. 

Haupia Layer

Ingredients:

• 1 can (13.5 oz) full-fat coconut milk

• 1 cup water

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 1/4 cup cornstarch

• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch.

2. Add Liquids: Slowly whisk in the coconut milk and water, making sure there are no lumps.

3. Cook: Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens to a pudding-like consistency, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the vanilla extract.

4. Pour: Pour the haupia mixture over the liliko’i curd and smooth it with a spatula.

5. Chill: Let the bars chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, until the haupia layer is fully set.

Chill & Serve:

• Chill the bars for another 2-3 hours in the refrigerator to allow all the layers to set.

• Cut into squares and serve chilled.