Biscuits, Bars And Cookies Recipes - Apricot Specials

Ingredients

• 90g/1/2 cup light brown sugar

• 75g/1/4 cup plain flour

• 75g/6 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut in pieces

FOR THE TOPPING

• 150g/1/2 cup dried apricots

• 250ml/1 cup water

• grated rind of 1 lemon

• 65g/1/4 cup caster sugar

• 10ml/2 tsp corn-flour

• 50g/1/2 cup chopped walnuts

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Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. In a mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar and flour. With a pastry blender, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.

2. Transfer to a 20cm/8in square baking tin and press level. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven but leave the oven on.

3. Meanwhile, for the topping, combine the apricots and water in a saucepan and simmer until soft; about 10 minutes. Strain the liquid and resreve. Chop the apricots.

4. Return the apricots to the saucepan and add the lemon rind, caster sugar, corn-flour and 60ml/4 tbsp of the soaking liquid. Cook for 1 minute.

5. Cook slightly before spreading the topping over the base. Sprinkle over the walnuts and bake for 20 minutes more. Cool in the tin before cutting into bars.