Soft Apricot & Almond Bars

📝 Ingredients

• 120 g rolled oats
• 100 g dried apricots (70 g for the purée, 30 g diced)
• 60 ml hot water
• 40 g almonds
• 30 g honey (about 1 ½ tbsp)
• 15 g coconut oil (about 1 tbsp)
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 pinch of salt

🍴 Utensils

• Square tin, about 20 cm
• Blender
• Mixing bowl
• Spatula
• Large knife

📖 Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 170 °C. Line a square tin of about 20 cm with baking paper, leaving the paper overhanging on two sides: it will act as handles to lift out the bars without breaking them.
2. Cut 70 g of the apricots into pieces and soak them in the hot water for 10 minutes to soften. Meanwhile, cut the remaining 30 g of apricots into small dice and roughly chop the almonds with a knife.
3. Melt the coconut oil in the microwave for 20 seconds. Blend the soaked apricots with their water, the honey, coconut oil and vanilla until you have a smooth, thick purée with no lumps.
4. In a mixing bowl, combine the oats, almonds, diced apricots, cinnamon and salt. Pour in the purée and mix with a spatula until all the oats are coated: the mixture should stick together when pressed between your fingers.
5. Tip the mixture into the tin and press it down very firmly with the back of a spoon or the base of a glass into an even layer about 1.5 cm thick. This is the key step: a well-packed mixture gives bars that hold together.
6. Bake for 20 minutes, until the edges are golden and the top is dry to the touch. The centre will still look soft when it comes out of the oven, which is normal: it firms up as it cools.
7. Leave to cool completely in the tin, for at least 1 hour at room temperature. Lift out using the paper, then cut into 8 bars with a large knife: if cut while still warm, they would crumble.
8. Store the bars in an airtight container, separated by sheets of baking paper, for up to 5 days in the fridge. Allow 2 bars per serving.