Fig Bars
Adapted by CUESA's Market Chef, Sarah Henkin from this About.com recipe, served at CUESA’s Fig Festival on August 15, 2009
Makes 24-32 bars
INGREDIENTS:
½ cup unsalted butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup Eatwell Farms stone-ground whole wheat flour plus ½ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups dried figs (we used a combination of dried Kadota and Black Mission figs from Bella Viva Orchards)
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, optional
PREPARATION:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a stand up mixer, cream together butter and brown sugar. Crack eggs into a separate bowl and combine lemon peel and vanilla. With mixer on low, slowly pour the egg mixture into the creamed butter and sugar and mix until it's well incorporated.
- Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a separate bowl. Gradually blend into the creamed mixture. Stir in chopped figs and nuts (if using). Pour into a greased 13x9x2-inch baking pan and bake for about 25 minutes or until mixture is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool and cut into bars.