Sunday, August 26, 2012

Apple Raisin Bars





From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...If you like your treats moist and sweet I think you'll love these apple-raisin bars. They are soft, almost doughy, and are similar to a fudge brownie in texture. While they are very easy to make, they are quite moist and you might want to bake them for a longer time than is suggested in the recipe. The bars will be easier to cut if they are refrigerated before slicing, and, even then, it is unlikely that they will resemble those I first saw in Family Circle Magazine. The crust is crackly and the bars can be crumbly when you take them from the pan. My first batch was almost pudding-like. I thought I had made an error in their assembly, but after searching for other photos of the bars, I could see that it mine was not an isolated experience. Based on appearance alone, it probably would be best not to serve these to the queen when she comes for tea. That being said, those of you who love sweet, sweet things, probably will love these bars. While I found them cloying, my taste testers gave them a thumbs up and the bars were gone before the day was done. Here's how they are made.

Apple-Raisin Bars...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Family Circle Magazine

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups packed light-brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups diced Golden Delicious apple
3/4 cup raisins

Directions:

1) Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Liberally coat a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
2) In a medium-size bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt; set aside.
3) In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, blend together sugar, eggs, butter and vanilla for 3 minutes or until smooth.
4) Reduce speed to low and gradually add flour mixture; mix for 2 minutes or until just incorporated. Stir in diced apples and raisins and spread into prepared pan.
5) Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely before cutting into bars and serving. Yield: 12 bars.







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19 comments :

Katarina said...

Delicious! I love moist and doughy baked goods!

Aldy said...

That looks absolutely delightful, Mary! I hope you're having a lovely weekend!

Ana Regalado said...

Do you think that the 2 cups of sugar contributes to an almost pudding-like
bars ?! Anyway , I love the look of the crackly crust so as the ooey gooey center ! :D

Diane said...

These sound wonderful. Perfect for taking with us when we are cycling for a bit of extra energy. Keep well Diane

Daniela said...

Deliziose queste barrette con le mele, segno subito la ricetta. Buona domenica Daniela.

Alicia Foodycat said...

That is exactly how I like my treats!

Buttercup said...

Thank you for reminding me that apple season is finally here. I haven't seen any of the new crop yet, but need to get to the farmer's market.

Duncan D. Horne - the Kuantan blogger said...

Hi Mary, moist and sweet is definitely my preference - I've never took a liking to dry. It'd be nice to hire you for a week in our kitchen!

Karen (Back Road Journal) said...

Mary, these will be perfect when I start harvesting the apples in our orchard. I'll just remember to not serve them to the queen if she ever makes a visit to New Hampshire. Perhaps she would enjoy a slice of apple pie. LOL.

From the Kitchen said...

Although I was looking for a recipe to serve the queen, I'll take this one. I've been dreaming of apple season and the desserts to come.

Best,
Bonnie

Pam said...

Yes, this is just the way I like bars such as these. I'd love to have one now with my cup of coffee. Thanks for the recipe, Mary, and have a wonderful Sunday!

luckiest1 said...

These look scrumptious, and I don't mind ooey and gooey. LOL. I've given you a Liebster award! For details, you can check it out at http://cookingjamie.blogspot.ca/2012/08/3-years-and-award.html.

David said...

Mary, I'm with you on this one. I think that these apple raisin bars would be just too sweet for me...but my better half would like them for sure. Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

Kit @ i-lostinausten said...

Delicious bars ! YUM!

Kim said...

These looks good, I love fudgy brownies... but I would definitly scale the sugar content down!

Rambling Tart said...

I'm afraid I don't fancy desserts that are too sweet, but I have friends who would ADORE these. :-)

chow and chatter said...

these look great perfect with afternoon tea

Baking Diary said...

This looks delicious! I love apples in cakes but would reduce the sugar if I were to make this, I would find it too sweet too!

France@beyondthepeel said...

They look fudgy and absolutely divine.

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