Dear Jeanne: I would appreciate your revising this recipe for Brandied Cranberry-Apricot Bars. Thank you.
- Mary Ryan,Mukilteo, Wash.
Dear Mary: I reduced the butter slightly and added some buttermilk for moisture. Egg substitute worked in place of the whole eggs, and I found that less sugar and pecans didn't deter from this unique combination of dried fruits in a delicious dessert. In fact, this would be good with almost any conbination of dried fruits, so feel free to experiment with your favorites.
- Each bar contains approximately: Original Recipe: 221 calories,; 42 mg cholesterol; 8 gm fat; 72 mg sodium; 2 gm protein; 32 gm carbohydrates. Revised Recipe: 162 calories; 6 mg cholesterol; 3 gm fat; 44 mg sodium; 3 gm protein; 31 gm carbohydrates.
BRANDIED CRANBERRY-APRICOT BARS
1/3 cup golden raisins
1/3 cup dark raisins
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup dried apricots, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup brandy or water
1 1/3 cups packed brown sugar, divided use
1/3 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup chopped pecans
Powdered sugar, for sifting
Preheat oven to 350 F. In a saucepan, place raisins, cranberries, apricots and brandy. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Let stand 20 minutes. Drain.
In a medium mixing bowl, stir together 1 cup of the flour and 1/3 cup of the brown sugar. Cut in softened butter until mixture resembles corse crumb. Press into an ungreased 8x8x2-inch baking pan. Bake in preheated oven about about 20 minutes or until golden.
In a medium mixing bowl bet eggs on low speed of an electric mixer for 4 minutes; stir in remaining cup of brown sugar, remaining 1/3 cup of flour, and the vanilla until combined. Stir in drained fruit and chopped pecans. Pour fruit mixture over crust; spread evenly.
Bake 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean, covering with foil the last 10 minutes to prevent overbrowning. Cool in pan on wire rack. Sift powdered sugar over top. To serve, cut in bars. Makes 16 bars.
REVISED BRANDIED CRANBERRY-APRICOT BARS
1/3 cup golden raisins
1/3 cup seedless dark raisins
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup dried apricots, chopped
1/3 cup brandy or water
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 cup packed brown sugar, divided
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons buttermilk
1/2 cup nonfat egg substitute
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons chopped pecans
2 teaspoons powdered sugar, for sifting
Preheat over to 350 F. In a medium saucepan, place golden raisins, seedless raisins, cranberries, apricots and brandy. Brint to a boil, remove from heat and set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, stir together 1 cup flour and 1/3 cup brown sugar. cut in butter until well blended. Stir in buttermilk. Press into an ungreased 8x8x2-inch baking pan. Bake 17-20 minutes, until golden.
In a separate medium mixing bowl, beat egg substitute and remaining 2/3 cup brown sugar together with electric mixer. Beat in remaining 1/3 cup flour and vanilla. Drain fruit and add to mixture along with pecans. Pour over crust and spread evenly.
Bake 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cover with foil after 25 minutes to prevent overbrowning. Cool in pan on wire rack. Sift powdered sugar over top. Cut into 16 square.