Benne Seed Raisin Bars Recipes

OLD FASHIONED RAISIN BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Combine raisins and water in a small saucepan; bring to a boil.
• Remove from heat, add butter; cool to lukewarm.
• Whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and salt together in a medium-size bowl.
• Pour the raisin mixture in large mixing bowl; add sugar, egg and dry ingredients.
• With an electric mixer, beat until thoroughly blended.
• Pour into greased and floured sheet pan (15½x10½x1-inch) and bake about 25 minutes.
• Cool.
• To frost:
• In a medium bowl, mix together the butter, vanilla, confectioners' sugar and 1 tablespoon at a time of milk to the desired consistency.

RAISIN CINNAMON BARS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine butter and brown sugar until crumbly, about 2 minutes. Beat in egg. Gradually beat in coffee. Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Gradually add to the coffee mixture until blended. Stir in raisins and pecans., Transfer to a 13x9-in. baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 18-20 minutes or until edges begin to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes., Meanwhile for icing, in a small bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar, vanilla and enough water to achieve spreading consistency. Spread over warm bars.

BENNE SEED RAISIN BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a large bowl with an electric mixer cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add tahini and beat until combined well. Beat in egg, vanilla, and salt. Add flour and beat batter until just combined. Beat in raisins and benne seeds. Spread batter evenly in a buttered jelly-roll pan, 15 1/2 by 10 1/2 by 1 inch, and bake in middle of oven until a tester comes out clean, about 16 to 20 minutes. Let cool in pan on a rack and cut into 36 bars. Bars may be made 3 days in advance and kept in an airtight container.

FRUIT AND SEED BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• In a food processor, pulse the first 6 ingredients until finely chopped (it's ok if there are few coarsely chopped pieces).
• Add the honey and sunflower and pulse until starting to combine.
• Pour the mixture into a 9 x 9 inch pan, greased then line with parchment and press down into the pan until completely even.
• Bake for 25 minutes.
• Let the bars completely cool before cutting with a serrated knife into bars.
• Serve.