Coconut Cream Pie Bars

Coconut Cream Pie Bars FOR THE CRUST: 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 cup vegetable oil 2 tbsp water FOR THE FILLING: 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 cup corn starch 2 cups half and half 4 egg yolks 3 tbsp butter 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut 1 1/2 tsp coconut extract FOR THE TOPPING: 2 cups heavy whipping cream 1/3 cup sugar 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract sweetened coconut toasted Preheat oven to 400F degrees. Combine crust ingredients and spread into a 9 x 13 baking dish. Poke dough all over with a fork. Bake at 400F degrees for about 10-15 minutes. Crust should be a light golden brown and not "doughy". Let the crust cool. Then prepare the filling. In a bowl, whisk together half and half and egg yolks. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar and cornstarch. Then slowly stir in half and half mixture while continuing to whisk. Bring heat up to high and continue to whisk. Do not leave your pot. After a few minutes you will notice it has thickened. Take the saucepan off the heat and stir in 3 tbsp. butter, 1 cup coconut and coconut extract. Stir well. Then spread pudding mixture over crust. Allow to cool for a few minutes. Then cover with plastic wrap. Put it in the fridge to cool for about an hour. Now, for the whipped cream, you will need to use the whisk attachment on your stand mixer (or a bowl and a whisk if doing it by hand). Pour 2 cups heavy whipping cream and turn mixer on to medium-high. Slowly add in sugar and then vanilla. Mix until whipped cream forms soft peaks. Then spread whipped cream over coconut pudding layer. Now for the toasted coconut topping (if you prefer it toasted). Preheat oven to 325F degrees. Put about a cup of coconut on a baking pan. Place it in the oven and bake for about 5-10 minutes. Stir every couple of minutes and don't walk away from oven because it has a tendency to burn the second you walk away. Let toasted coconut cool. Sprinkle bars with toasted coconut then slice and serve.