Healthy muesli bars with long-lasting crunch. | RECIPETINEATS
Blogger Nagi from recipetineats writes that she has never come across a crunchy muesli bar recipe that stayed crunchy beyond a day.
She decided to make her own ‒ and these stayed crunchy for more than three weeks.
“Adapted from my chewy muesli bars, I found the key to be lightly toasting the oats then cutting the bars before baking. The chewy muesli bars also have a higher ratio of honey and peanut butter which is what makes them chewy.
“Even though they’re sugar free, I munch on these when I need a sweet-treat fix, yet they’re healthy enough for breakfast,” Nagi says.
Crunchy muesli bars
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Fridge & cooling: 2 hours
Makes 10 bars
WHAT YOU NEED:
For “the glue”
90 g honey
60 g natural peanut butter, smooth (or crunchy
For the muesli bars:
120 g rolled oats (not steel cut)
60 g almonds, roughly chopped
30 g pumpkin seeds
80 g sultanas
¾ tsp cinnamon powder (or other, like pumpkin spice)
¼ tsp cooking / kosher salt
2 tbsp small chocolate chips or 3 tbsp regular dark choc chips, optional
HOW TO MAKE THEM:
Preheat the oven to 160°C. Place a sheet of baking paper over a 20cm square tin with overhang so it’s easy to lift out later (no greasing needed).
Toast: Spread the oats, chopped almonds and pumpkin seeds on a tray. Bake for 10 minutes. Tip into a heatproof bowl. Add the sultanas, cinnamon and salt.
Muesli mixture: Microwave the honey and peanut butter in a heatproof jug for 30 seconds on high. Mix to combine. Pour over the oat mixture and mix through. It might seem like it won’t mix in, but persist, it will. Use a cutting motion if needed. As a last resort – microwave for 20 seconds to loosen the mixture up.
Press: Tip the muesli mixture into the pan then press firmly into the pan. Once cooled, scatter the choc chips across surface (if using). Cover with a sheet of paper then press down firmly with your hands to push the choc chips in.
Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm enough to lift out without bending.
Preheat the oven to 160°C.
Cut: Use the paper overhang to lift the muesli slab onto a cutting board. Cut in half, then each into 5 (10 bars). Transfer onto a tray using the paper, then space the muesli bars out.
Bake for 25 minutes or until quite golden on the surface and golden brown on the edges but not burnt.
Cool & crunchy: Remove from the oven and cool on the tray ‒ it will become crunchy!
Storage: They will stay fresher and crunchier for longer if they are stored in the fridge in an airtight container. They are actually really nice eaten cold, straight from the fridge. But if it’s not hot and humid where you are, they can even be stored for about 5 days just in the pantry.
Watch the video for step-by-step guidance on making these bars on https://www.recipetineats.com/crunchy-muesli-bars/
Independent on Saturday
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