I tore this recipe out of a Sunset magazine a year and a half ago. I knew I wanted to try them, but wanted to wait for an occasion that called for sixteen protein-packed energy bars.
That occasion has arrived. We're headed to a destination wedding involving lots of airplane rides, and these little babies will be perfect for in-air, layovers, and hotel breakfasts.
One thing I really enjoyed about making these was the figs. I've never made anything with figs before, dried or otherwise, and they're really cute! Makes me want to try homemade Fig Newtons next.
Here's what the dry ingredients + dried fruit look like. So pretty, I had to take a picture!
The recipe called for lemon juice and zest. I presume the juice is to help with preservation--the recipe states these can last for two weeks, and can stand heat and cold. But the zest made them a little too lemony. It seemed out of place. Next time, I'll try replacing the zest with cinnamon.
The recipe states that the dough is sticky, and you might have to wash your hands when you press it into the pan. I just used a wide spatula and had no problems with stickiness.
I had no problems getting the chilled dough out and cutting it, either.
I ran into trouble with baking though. I made a double batch (one for my friend who's having a baby right now!), and the bars seemed thicker than the Sunset photo, so mine were in the oven for 30 minutes, as opposed to the 20 stated in the recipe. I finally squashed them down with the spatula to see if that would help, and it seemed to. They never really got "lightly browned" but they did seem firm and fully cooked.
J didn't like them, because he's not a fan of dried cranberries. But the rest of us love them! I keep getting requests for more tastes. It'll be hard to save them for the trip!
Here's the link for the recipe. They'd be great for hiking, biking, soccer camp, etc.
Enjoy!
