Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Muesli Bars

It certainly looks like Murdoch Books is trying to give the ever-faithful Australian Women's Weekly cookbooks a run for their money. Along with the Marie Claire Cookbooks their chunky offerings certainly got my attention along with the It series, then came the Cooking and Little Taste of... series and if that wasn't enough they are now producing another range under the Kitchen Classics tag.

Needless to say I have been lured into buying Jane Price's Kitchen Classics:Sweet and Savoury Bites.

I decided to make something healthy so rather than make cookies I opted to try the recipe for Muesli Slice.

I suppose they are healthy in that there isn't anything unnatural in them and they have good things like dried fruit, nuts and rolled oats so I suppose you can forgive the 250 grams of butter and 230 grams of sugar that are also needed.

You will be rewarded with a chewy and crunchy muesli bar that all the family will enjoy.

muesli bar

Muesli Bars

250 grams butter, cubed
230 grams caster sugar
2 tablespoons honey
250 grams rolled oats
65 grams desiccated coconut
30 grams corn-flakes, lightly crushed
45 grams flaked almonds
1 teaspoon mixed spice
(original recipe calls for 45 grams dried apricot and 185 grams dried mixed fruit but I used the following instead:)
60 grams dried apricots, chopped finely
60 grams roasted hazelnuts, chopped finely
80 grams raisins
80 grams dried figs, chopped finely
80 grams pitted prunes, chopped finely

Preheat the oven to 160°C/320°F.
Line a shallow 20x30 cm (8x12 inches) tin with baking paper that overhangs the sides. This will help lift the mixture from the tin once it's cooked.

Place the butter, sugar and honey into a small saucepan and over a low heat, let this cook for 5 minutes or until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Stir the mix often.

In a large bowl add the remaining ingredients - give them a good stir to make sure they are evenly distributed. Make a well in the centre and add the butter mixture - keep stirring until all the ingredients have been coated and the mixture is sticky.

Press this into the tin - flatten it with a back of a spoon to level the surface. Make sure that it is well compressed.

Place in the oven and bake for about 45 minutes or until golden brown. Let it cool completely in the tin - don't try removing it as it is too fragile.

Once cool lift out and sit on a wire rack. The recipe recommends placing it in the fridge for 2 hours but I made this the night before and left it out and it was fine the next morning to slice.

cooked

You can slice it anyway you like - slice it in long bars

bars

or bite sized pieces

bites

If you are putting them into lunch boxes then wrap them in baking paper as they can be a little sticky. Otherwise, store them in an airtight container, layered with baking paper.

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8 comments

  1. AnonymousJuly 11, 2007

    Wow something is giving Australian Women's Weekly a run for their money. I am shocked. Those are my standard ethnic cookbooks. Well also they are great for other things, but I mostly have the ethnic series.

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  2. This is going to be on my list of things to try immediately. Looks gorgeous Haalo. So clean!

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  3. I love those cute leaf plates.

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  4. Wow! This is fabulous and perfect timing! I start back to work next week and will be backing lunches and snacks again...woohoo!

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  5. Hi Chrispy - AWW are standards but competition is always good.

    Thanks Rose - I hope you enjoy them!

    Thanks Nora - I love them too and I have some of their larger siblings too

    Thanks Chris - they should be great for giving you an energy lift during the day and naturally just use whatever are you favourite fruit and nuts.

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  6. I tried making muesli bars last week, I wish I had of seen your recipe before that, mine turned out like cold oatmeal. Not good.

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  7. Hi Brilynn - these are quite sticky bars but I've also made another type of muesli bars that are probably a little more friendly to handle.

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  8. Great timing just got this book on sale at dymocks !!

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