Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Old-fashioned Cherry Apricot Bars


Old-fashioned Cherry Apricot Bars


1--1/2 Sticks (3/4 cup) Sweet butter, cut into chunks
1 TBL All-purpose flour, for topping
1/2 C Dried cherries, minced
1/2 C Dried apricots, un-sulfured, minced
2/3 C Fresh-squeezed orange juice
1/2 TSP Sugar
PINCH Cinnamon

Crust:
1/2 C Slivered almonds
1/2 C Fresh grated coconut
1-1/4 C All-purpose flour
3/4 C Old-fashioned rolled oats
3/4 C Dark brown sugar, packed firm
PINCH Cinnamon
1/2 TSP Kosher salt



1.pre heat oven to 150°f.

2. Meanwhile, bring the apricots, cherries, orange juice, sugar, and cinnamon to a boil over medium high heat, reduce heat, cover and simmer, on low, until fruit is soft. Remove from heat. Mash fruit in juice until mixture thickens. Allow to cool.

3. Toast nuts and coconut in oven on a cookie sheet until deep golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Increase temperature to 350°f. In the mixing bowl of a heavy-duty mixer (do not use a food processor for this recipe) combine the almonds, coconut, flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt, and mix well, then add butter. Mix, on medium, until crumb mixture is formed, about 1 minute.

4. Set aside 1C of crumb mixture for topping. Firmly press remaining crumb mixture into the bottom of 8"x8" baking dish. Spoon fruit filling on to crumbs and spread out but do not allow fruit to touch sides of baking dish( leave about 1/8" border.) Mix 1TBL flour with remaining crumb mixture. Sprinkle over fruit filling. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow to cool and cut into squares.


2 comments:

  1. Would you please clarify the amount of sweet butter? Not clarified butter; sweet butter. Haha! Get it?!
    So really, how many Tablespoons are in a CUBE?

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  2. Well Andy very good question, and I will fix my recipe. My folks always said get a cube of butter. Get a stick of butter would have been correct. In baking terms a cube is a quarter of a stick and equal on all four sides, which would be 2 Tablespoons, a stick which equals a half cup, would be 16 Tablespoons. This recipe uses 24 Tablespoons of butter!

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