Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 125g unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 100g light soft brown sugar
- 100g Black Bee honey
- 150ml fresh juice (apple, orange, or even pineapple!)
- 1 orange, finely zested
- 200g Jumbo rolled oats
- 100g dried dates, chopped
- 100g dried apricots, chopped
- 50g chopped nuts (walnuts, almonds, or hazelnuts)
- 125g mixed seeds (we use Pumpkin, Poppy, and Sunflower)
Equipment:
- Baking tin: I used a deep Square Cake Tin - 20 x 20cm, but other tray bake styles would work too (approximately 18 x 25 cm)
Oaty Fruity Boost Bars
These Oaty Fruity Boost Bars are a simple and satisfying mix of chewy oats, dried fruits and crunchy seeds. With a combination of dates and apricots, they offer just the right amount of sweetness. The mixed seeds add a nice crunch and a little extra nutrition, while the oats provide a hearty texture, making them a great snack for a quick energy boost at any time of day.
Optional Personalisation: Feel free to swap in any dried fruits you have on hand, such as raisins or cranberries, while keeping the total dried fruit weight the same. For a special treat, add 50g of chocolate chunks after mixing in the fruit, nuts and seeds.
Method:
- Preheat & Prepare: Preheat your oven to 180°C / Gas Mark 4. Grease and line your tin, then set it aside.
- Make the Sweet Sauce: In a pan, combine the butter, sugar, honey, fruit juice and orange zest. Place over a low heat and stir frequently until the butter has melted and the ingredients are well combined. Remove from the heat.
- Combine: Add the oats, dried fruit and nuts to the pan, along with 100g of the seeds. Stir everything together until evenly distributed.
- Bake: Transfer the mixture into the prepared tin, smoothing the top with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle the remaining seeds over the top. Bake for 30 minutes, until the top is golden brown.
- Cool: Let the bake cool in the tin before transferring to a chopping board. Use a sharp knife to slice them into squares.
- Storing: These will keep well in an airtight container for up to 7 days.
