COOKIES

IS IT A BAR, IS IT A COOKIE? Guess what…It’s a BAR COOKIE!

2008/02/27 / 18 Comments
“In the nut, nothing is lost, except perhaps the noise it makes when breaking.”
World Wide Walnut
IMG 4301
Pistachio, Cranberries & Golden Raisin Bars

Was flipping pages of one of my favourite cookie books, ‘The Colossal Cookie Cookbook’, wondering what snack to make for the kids snack box for school. Thought I’d quickly do a batch of brownies, got the tin ready, lined it etc, & then had a change of heart. Wanted something other than chocolate…I like introducing them to as many flavours as possible, when they are still willing. Found something I liked the sound of… ‘Cranberry & Golden Raisin Bars’ hmmmmmmm. Passed a handful of golden raisins to the boy, who gave them a disdainful look, but tried one…& decided they weren’t that bad after all. Then the pistachios were chomped happily & the craisins too, which were a big hit! (The craisins were Ocean Spray’s ‘Orange Flavor Sweetened Dried Cranberries’ that I had lying around for a while. They are seriously good & healthy as a snack too.) collage3

Having passed the litmus test, I set to work…

Bar Cookies are cookies that the dough is baked spread-out in a pan. The cookies are cut into “bars” after baking. Most drop cookies can also be made into bar cookies. Bar cookie dough is pretty stiff/firm like a cookie dough. They are usually simple & straight-forward cookies, that are fun to make!IMG 4276

Bar cookies consist of batter or other ingredients that are poured or pressed into a pan (sometimes in multiple layers), and cut into cookie-sized pieces after baking. Brownies are an example of a batter-type bar cookie. In British English, bar cookies are known as “tray bakes’.

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The recipe as adapted from ‘The Colossal Cookie Cookbook’ , pg 393.

Ingredients:
Butter – 100gms (or margarine)
Brown sugar – 1/2 cup packed (soft brown)
Eggs – 2
Vanilla Essence – 1tsp
Flour – 1 cup ( the original recipe has 1 cup of self-raising flour)
Baking powder – 3/4 tsp
Salt – 1 pinch
Ground Almonds – 1/4 cup
Craisins – 1/2 cup
Pistachio nuts – 1/2 cup / chopped roughly
Golden raisins – 1/2 cup

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Method:

  • Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Line a 10.5″ X 6.5″ or 8″ X 8″ pan with a 2″ depth. Leave a bit of overhang on the lining paper.
  • Sift the flour + baking powder + salt. Set aside.
  • Beat the butter & sugar till light & fluffy.
  • Beat in the eggs one by one, followed by the vanilla essence.
  • Now gently fold in the flour + ground almonds + craisins + golden raisins + pistachio nuts.
  • Turn batter into tin & level out evenly with a spatula/butter knife.
  • Bake for 25-35 minutes until golden brown on top & done. Test with a wooden pick if need be.
  • Take out of oven & cool on rack for 10 minutes, then gently lift out of tin (holding the lining paper) & cool completely. Remove lining paper once cool.
  • Cut into bars or squares as desired, only once cooled. Dust with powdered sugar.
  • Best stored in the refrigerator, as per the book. (I’ve left them out as the weather is till cold & the houses here aren’t centrally heated.)
IMG 4396 1Enjoy a cookie with a cuppa tea or coffee…or a glass of chilled milk!
Posted by Deeba @ PAB

About me: I am a freelance food writer, recipe developer and photographer. Food is my passion - baking, cooking, developing recipes, making recipes healthier, using fresh seasonal produce and local products, keeping a check on my carbon footprint and being a responsible foodie! I enjoy food styling, food photography, recipe development and product reviews. I express this through my food photographs which I style and the recipes I blog. My strength lies in 'Doing Food From Scratch'; it must taste as good as it looks, and be healthy too. Baking in India, often my biggest challenge is the non-availability of baking ingredients, and this has now become a platform to get creative on. I enjoy cooking immensely as well.

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18 Comments

  • Nags

    2008/02/27 at 4:53 pm Reply

    that’s awesome!! would love to bite into one. and you say you dont even eat most of what you bake 🙂 that’s so amazing.. the interest is still there..

  • Asha

    2008/02/27 at 5:00 pm Reply

    Bar cookies looks and sounds delicious Deeba. I love Craisins they have these days, yummy. Love the color and taste of Pista, great recipe!:)

  • arundati

    2008/02/27 at 5:14 pm Reply

    fab….i am running out of adjectives…maybe i should try expletives?? 😉 wonderful…..i really want to be your apprentice!!

  • Manggy

    2008/02/28 at 2:26 am Reply

    You’re always good at making these healthy treats! If it were me I’d probably ruin it by adding M&M’s or something, haha 🙂

  • Saswati

    2008/02/28 at 9:05 am Reply

    Hi Deeba!! have been visiting your blog since the last one month… i wud like to say you have agr8 blog,gr8 recipes specially the baking part..your passion shows:) you got aregular visitor:)

  • Passionate baker...& beyond

    2008/02/28 at 9:06 am Reply

    Thanks Kalai..
    Sounds wierd…right Nags! That’s me!!:0)
    Hey Asha, you’re lucky you get them. I finished what I had, & will wait for some poor soul to get me some from the US!!
    Thanks for dropping by Joy…love the name!!
    You’re already an apprentice Arundati, & a very fast learner…expletives? Nah…save them for the rantings!! :0)
    Thanks Deepa & Rosie…these were simple cookies with a great taste.
    Now now Manggy…someone’s being too humble for me. This is far too basic for the stuff you do!! You’re quite the expert!! Cheers

  • Passionate baker...& beyond

    2008/02/28 at 9:06 am Reply

    Thanks Kalai..
    Sounds wierd…right Nags! That’s me!!:0)
    Hey Asha, you’re lucky you get them. I finished what I had, & will wait for some poor soul to get me some from the US!!
    Thanks for dropping by Joy…love the name!!
    You’re already an apprentice Arundati, & a very fast learner…expletives? Nah…save them for the rantings!! :0)
    Thanks Deepa & Rosie…these were simple cookies with a great taste.
    Now now Manggy…someone’s being too humble for me. This is far too basic for the stuff you do!! You’re quite the expert!! Cheers

  • Passionate baker...& beyond

    2008/02/28 at 5:27 pm Reply

    Great to have you here Saswati. :0)
    Thanks Arfi…
    That was QUICK Purnima…love your enthusiasm!

  • Passionate baker...& beyond

    2008/02/28 at 5:27 pm Reply

    Great to have you here Saswati. :0)
    Thanks Arfi…
    That was QUICK Purnima…love your enthusiasm!

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