Spicy Topped Fruit And Walnut Bars Recipes

SPICED FRUITCAKE BARS

Steps:

• In a large nonreactive container (glass, ceramic, or plastic), combine dried fruits, honey, and Cognac; let macerate at room temperature 2 days or up to 2 weeks, covered with plastic wrap.
• Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Generously butter and flour two 8-inch square (or round) pans; tap out excess flour. Whisk to combine flour, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves in a bowl. Stir in walnuts.
• In a separate bowl, beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, and scraping down side of bowl as needed. Transfer to a large bowl. Using a flexible spatula, fold in flour-nut mixture and drained fruit mixture; stir to evenly distribute fruits and nuts.
• Divide batter between prepared pans; use an offset spatula to smooth tops. Bake until a cake tester inserted into center comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached, 2 to 2 1/4 hours. Transfer pans to wire rack to cool completely. Invert cakes onto racks to unmold. Invert again, top sides up. (Cakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 months.)
• Using a serrated knife, cut cake into thirds. Slice each third into 1-inch-thick slices. Bars can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.

HOT & SPICY TOASTED WALNUTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350*.
• Place walnuts in a 15 1/2" x 10 1/2" jelly roll pan.
• Toast walnuts in oven 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix sugar, vegetable oil, Worcestershire sauce, ground red pepper, and salt.
• Remove walnuts from oven, drizzle spice mixture over the nuts and toss until thoroughly coated.
• Spread nuts in a single layer, cool completely in a pan on a wire rack.
• Store at room temperature in tightly covered container up to a month.
• Makes about 2 cups.

CHEWY WALNUT PAN BARS

Steps:

• In a bowl, beat the eggs, brown sugar and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; add to the egg mixture. Stir in walnuts. , Pour into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until bars pull away from edges of the pan. Cool on a wire rack.

SOFT SPICE BARS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine butter, 1 cup sugar and molasses. Beat in egg until smooth. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and salt; stir into the molasses mixture. , Spread into a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Sprinkle with remaining sugar. Bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned (do not overbake). Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

SWEET, SALTY, SPICY PARTY NUTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.
• Combine walnut halves, pecan halves, almonds, and cashews in a large bowl. Add salt, black pepper, cumin, and cayenne pepper; toss to coat.
• Heat sugar, water, and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until the butter is melted. Cook for 1 minute and remove from heat. Slowly pour butter mixture over the bowl of nuts and stir to coat.
• Transfer nuts to the prepared baking sheet and spread into a single layer.
• Bake nuts in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Stir nuts until the warm syrup coats every nut. Spread into a single layer, return to the oven, and bake until nuts are sticky and roasted, about 6 minutes. Allow to cool before serving.

STARBUCKS CHEWY FRUIT AND NUT BARS

Steps:

• Ingredient note: look in your health food aisle for a healthy alternative to Rice Krispies. The brand I found is made by Enviro-Kidz and uses BROWN rice.
• Prepare 9x13 pan with non-stick spray (or line with parchment paper).
• In a large mixing bowl, toss all dry ingredients. Feel free to substitute your preferred nut or dried fruit.
• In a saucepan, combine brown sugar and corn syrup. Bring to a boil and allow to boil one minute. (Note: boiling the sugars is what helps the bars become firm and not sticky, so this step is important).
• After boiling, turn off heat; add vanilla and peanut butter. QUICKLY pour this hot mixture over the dry ingredients and toss to combine.
• Pour warm mixture into prepared pan. Wet your fingers and press the mixture down into the pan to compress the bars so they will slice evenly.
• When cool, use a sharp knife to cut into 18 bars (1 long lengthwise cut and 9 cuts across). Enjoy with a hot cup of Starbucks coffee for an authentic experience!
• Note: Starbucks does not list corn syrup in their ingredients, but the sweetener in their list is not readily available. I tried using Maple Syrup, but the bars were very crumbly and would not stay together in bars. Therefore, I found that Corn Syrup is the best ingredient that is readily available.

SPICY CHEERIOS™ NUT BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325° F. Spray with cooking spray and line 8-inch square pan with cooking parchment paper, leaving paper overhanging on all sides. Set aside.
• In large bowl, mix all ingredients except honey and oil.
• In 1-quart saucepan, heat honey and oil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until melted. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to simmer, and cook about 2 minutes or until mixture thickens a bit. Add honey mixture to cereal mixture; mix until evenly coated. Spread mixture in pan; press firmly with rubber spatula in even layer.
• Bake 20 to 30 minutes or until top is golden brown and syrup is bubbly. Cool 15 minutes in pan before removing from pan using parchment overhangs. Place on cutting board, and remove parchment. Cool completely before cutting into 4 rows by 4 rows.

APRICOT WALNUT BARS

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F. Butter a 9-inch square baking pan and line with 1 sheet of foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on 2 opposite sides, then butter foil.
• Pulse flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a food processor until combined. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal with some roughly pea-size butter lumps. Add yolks and vanilla and pulse just until clumps of dough form, about 30 seconds.
• Press three fourths of dough evenly onto bottom of pan, then spread with apricot preserves. Crumble remaining dough over preserves and sprinkle evenly with walnuts.
• Bake until top is golden brown and preserves are bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack. Lift from pan by grasping both ends of foil. Cut into 32 bars and lift bars off foil with a spatula.