Oatmeal Fig Bars Food

OATMEAL FIG BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Grease or lightly spray a 9" square baking pan.
• Cream butter in mixer until creamy.
• Add brown sugar to butter and mix until lightened and well blended, about 2 minutes.
• Add eggs, one at a time, until incorporated.
• Add vanilla to mixer.
• Combine next 5 ingredients in a medium bowl and lightly stir with a fork.
• Add dry ingredients into mixing bowl and mix on low until worked in completely.
• Pat 2/3 of mixture into bottom of prepared pan. If needed, use a piece of parchment paper sprayed with cooking spray to help spread it evenly in the pan as the dough will be somewhat sticky.
• Spread contents of entire jar of fig butter evenly over crust.
• Place (plop!) the remaining crust over the fig jam and lightly press down.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes, checking for a golden color on top.
• Remove from oven and cool before cutting into bars.

HOMEMADE OATMEAL FIG BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line an 8-inch (what I use and recommend) or 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang on the sides to easily remove the bars when they have cooled. Set aside.
• Combine the chopped dried figs, water, and orange juice together in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook while stirring occasionally for 5-8 minutes or until figs are soft and have absorbed some of the liquid. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Cool for 5 minutes, and then transfer to a food processor or blender and puree until there are no more chunks (fig seeds will not break down). Set aside. Makes *about* 1 and 1/4 cups filling.
• In a large bowl, whisk the melted coconut oil, maple syrup, brown sugar, and egg together. Add the oats, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Begin whisking to combine and once the mixture becomes too thick, switch to a spoon or rubber spatula to bring the ingredients together. You will have about 2 and 1/2 cups of this crust/topping mixture.
• Take a little over 1 and 1/2 cups of the crust/topping mixture and press it evenly into the lined pan. Spread fig filling in an even layer on top. Spoon remaining crust/topping mixture evenly on top and gently press it down into the filling to ensure it's tight and compact on top.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top has lightly browned. Avoid over-baking. 8 inch pans take closer to 30 minutes, 9 inch pans take closer to 25 minutes. (Note: Oil/moisture will soak on the parchment paper during the baking & cooling process. That's normal with this recipe.) Remove from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack. Cool bars completely.
• Lift the bars out using the parchment paper overhang on the sides. Cut into squares.
• Cover leftover bars and store at room temperature for up to 4 days or in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.

FIG BARS II

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan.
• In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar until thick and pale. Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, cloves, cinnamon and allspice; blend into the egg mixture along with the vanilla. Finally fold in the chopped figs and walnuts. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until lightly toasted. When cool, cut into squares and roll the squares in confectioners' sugar.

OATMEAL, FIG, AND WALNUT BARS

Steps:

• For filling:
• Combine first 4 ingredients in heavy medium saucepan. Bring to simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 5 minutes. Uncover and simmer until figs are very soft and filling is thick, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Mix in lemon juice and vanilla, then walnuts. Cool completely. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before using.
• For crust:
• Position rack in top third of oven and preheat to 350°F. Spray 13x9x2- inch metal baking pan with nonstick spray. Combine oats and next 5 ingredients in large bowl and whisk to blend. Add cubed "butter." Using fingertips, blend until mixture forms small moist clumps.
• Firmly press half of crust mixture (about 3 cups) over bottom of prepared pan. Spread filling evenly over crust. Sprinkle remaining crust mixture over filling; press to adhere.
• Bake bars until deep brown and firm to touch, about 35 minutes. Cool in pan on rack. Cut crosswise into 6 strips. Make 8 lengthwise cuts, forming 2x1-inch bars. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover pan with foil; store at room temperature.
• Place powdered sugar in medium bowl. Using narrow spatula, remove as many bars as desired from pan. Roll half of bars in powdered sugar to coat. Arrange coated bars and plain bars alternately on platter.

OAT AND FIG SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F . Put figs in a small saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Turn off heat and let figs soften for 5-7 minutes. Do not drain.
• Lightly coat an 8X8-inch baking pan with cooking spray (or line with parchment paper or nonstick foil). In a small bowl, mix canola oil or butter, honey, and milk. In a medium bowl, combine flour, rolled oats, baking soda, and salt; add wet ingredients, then mix well.
• Remove softened figs from water and place in a blender or food processor. Add 3 tablespoons of the rehydrating water and puree until smooth. (I added a tiny bit more water as they still seemed a little thick to spread easily.).
• Place a little more than half of the oat mixture in the prepared pan and spread evenly across the bottom. (It was sticking to my hands a bit, so I laid waxed paper over it to press on as I evened it out.) Spread figs evenly on top. Add remaining oat mixture on top of fig layer, allowing some of the figs to show through. (I just pinched off bits of the dough and dropped them evenly over the top.) Pat lightly to flatten.
• Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely in pan on a wire rack. When cool, cut into 16 squares.

HOMEMADE FIG BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the figs in a small heatproof bowl, cover with hot water and soak for 10 minutes. Remove the figs from the water with a slotted spoon and transfer to a food processor. Add the honey and 1 tablespoon of the soaking liquid. Puree until smooth and spreadable. Set aside.
• In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until incorporated. Add the flour and mix until a dough forms.
• Place the dough between two pieces of parchment, then roll into two 12-by-4-inch rectangles.
• Spread the fig filling on one half of each rectangle, spreading up the 12-inch side and leaving a 1/4- to 1/2-inch border.
• Fold the dough over on top of itself and gently press the dough together at the edges. Cut each log into 10 cookies and transfer to baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment. Bake until golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.

FRUIT-FILLED OATMEAL BARS

Steps:

• In mixing bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, and baking soda.
• Cut in margarine/butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Reserve 1/2 cup of the flour mixture.
• Press remaining flour mixture into the bottom of an ungreased 9x9x2 baking pan.
• Spread with desired filling.
• Sprinkle with reserved flour mixture.
• Bake at 350F for 30-35 minutes or until the top is golden.
• Cool in pan on wire rack.
• Cut into bars.
• FILLING OPTIONS:.
• ***Following cookbook's 'shortcut' suggestion of substituting 10 oz jar of preserves in place of homemade filling, I used a store-bought, very dense, low-moisture apple butter (like a thick jam). I have also tried it with blueberry preserves but the preserves were too moist--it made the bars sticky not good.***.
• RAISIN FILLING:.
• In medium saucepan, combine 1/2 cup water, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 2 teaspoons cornstarch. Add 1 cup raisins. Cook & stir until thickened & bubbly.
• APPLE-CINNAMON FILLING:.
• Peel/core/chop 2 medium apples. In medium saucepan, combine apples, 2 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and a dash of ground cloves. Bring apple mixture to a boil; reduce heat & simmer 8-10 minutes or until apples are very tender.
• APRICOT-COCONUT FILLING:.
• In medium saucepan, combine 1 cup diced dried apricots and 3/4 cup water. Bring apricot mixture to boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 5 minutes. Meanwhile, combine 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon all purpose flour. Stir into apricot mixture. Cook and stir 1 minute more or until mixture is very thick. Stir in 1/2 cup coconut.