These bars would go great with a cup of Earl Grey tea or a hot espresso. Serve for a coffee break, breakfast, party, or at tea time.
Makes 8 large bars.
Ingredients:
Batter:
- 2 c all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp allspice
- 1/4 tsp mace
- 1/2 c cold unsalted butter
- 1 egg
- 1 c sour cream
- 1/4 c sugar
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp orange zest
- 1 c dried fruit mix (figs, prunes, apricots, raisins, currants, cranberries, etc), chopped
- 1/2 c walnuts, chopped
Glaze:
- 1 c powdered sugar
- 3-4 tsp orange juice
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375 deg. F.
- Line 11 x 7 x 1.5 inch biscuit/brownie pan with parchment paper; set aside.
- In large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, soda, salt, cinnamon, allspice and mace until well-incorporated.
- Add butter by holding in over the bowl and, using a paring knife, slicing it into slivers and dropping them into the dry ingredients.
- Using a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until it forms 1/8-1/4 inch clumps; set aside.
- In medium bowl, beat egg lightly.
- Stir in the sour cream, sugar, lemon zest and orange zest; add to flour mixture. Combine just until moistened.
- Fold in the dry fruit and walnuts. Do not over-mix. (Dough will be loose and will spread while baking.)
- Place dough on a floured board and lightly flour the top.
- With hands, shape the dough into a 1-inch thick rectangle.
- Cut into 8 equal portions and place them, evenly spaced, in the prepared pan.
- Bake 25 minutes or until golden and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool slightly.
- Mix powdered sugar and orange juice until pudding-like consistency; drizzle over bars.
- Cool and serve.