Oat, Apple & Raisin Squares

📝 Ingredients

• 240 g rolled oats
• 1 tsp baking powder + 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 pinch of salt
• 2 eggs
• 200 g apple purée with no added sugar
• 1 tbsp honey
• 300 ml semi-skimmed milk
• 60 g raisins

🍴 Utensils

• Square baking dish (20 × 20 cm)
• Parchment paper
• Mixing bowl
• Bowl
• Whisk
• Spatula

📖 Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C, fan setting if possible. Line a square dish of about 20 × 20 cm with baking paper, leaving it overhanging on two sides: these flaps will act as handles to lift it out easily.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the oats, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. In another bowl, whisk the eggs with the apple purée and honey until smooth, then gradually add the milk, whisking constantly.
3. Pour the liquid mixture over the oats and stir with a spatula until all the oats are well moistened. Add the raisins and mix again to distribute them evenly, otherwise they clump together in one spot.
4. Leave the mixture to rest for 10 min at room temperature: the oats absorb the liquid and swell, giving soft squares that hold together well. The batter should look like thick porridge.
5. Pour into the dish and smooth the surface with the back of the spatula. Bake for 25 min on the middle shelf, until the top is golden and the centre feels firm: a knife inserted in the centre should come out with no runny batter.
6. Leave to cool in the dish for at least 30 min before cutting, as the squares crumble while they're still warm. Lift out using the paper flaps, then cut into 8 squares (2 per serving) with a large knife.
7. Store the squares in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Eat them cold, or warm them for 20 seconds in the microwave for that fresh-from-the-oven softness.