10920Crumbly Oat and Apricot Bars50 mins15 mins16 to 20 squaresTue Apr 24 15:32:00 -0700 2007Wed Mar 12 14:23:21 -0700 2008MediumBritishCHOW
http://www.chow.com/recipes/10920
Wed, 12 Mar 2008 21:23:21 GMTSweet, and begging to be served à la modeSweet, and begging to be served à la mode.
Somewhere between a fruit bar and a crumble, this is great on its own or served with a big scoop of ice cream.
What to buy: Make sure you don’t pick up quick-cooking oats—stick to the old-fashioned rolled kind.
Heat oven to 350°F and arrange the rack in middle. Butter an 8-by-8-inch glass baking dish and set aside. Place apricots in a large mixing bowl and cover with boiling water. Set aside until apricots are plumped up and have absorbed almost all the water, about 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine oats, whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, salt, and ground cinnamon (if using); mix until evenly combined, and set aside.
In a small saucepan, combine butter, 6 tablespoons of the honey, and sugar. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until bubbling and foamy, about 5 minutes.
Pour honey mixture over oat mixture, stirring until oats are well coated. Press 1/2 of the oat mixture (about 1 1/2 cups) into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Use the bottom of a measuring cup or glass to help ensure an even layer.
Combine soaked apricots, remaining 1 tablespoon honey, jam, and vanilla extract in the bowl of a food processor. Process until mixture is puréed (it will resemble baby food), about 1 minute.
Spread apricot filling evenly over oat base and sprinkle with remaining oat mixture, pressing it gently with your fingers. Bake until the bottom is golden brown and the top is well browned, about 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool in the baking dish, allowing at least 12 hours for it to fully set up. Slice into squares and serve.