Fig Bars ©Platter Talk
I had a lot of fun with this fig bar recipe. I grew up eating fig newtons and I’ve even enjoyed a fig preserve on rare occasions. Until this morning, however, I had never worked with figs in the kitchen.
Fig Bars ©Platter Talk
Although I haven’t given it a lot of thought, in fact none at all, I came to the realization that Figs are arguably one of the most ubiquitous foods in our culture. Raise you hand if you’ve never had a fig newton. Even if you don’t care for figs, chances are pretty good that you have tried them in one form or another at some point.
Fig Bars ©Platter Talk
Some time ago our family made the short trek to a recently opened Costco store in our area. Among the things that found their way into our cart was a bag of Calimyrina figs, sun-dried and unsulfured. Neither Scott nor myself had any idea what those designations signified but that bag still looked mighty alluring to a couple of adventurous foodies. By the same token, neither of us had any clue about how to use these. With the shrug of our shoulders and that “should we give ‘em a try” look in both of our eyes, they swiftly made their way into our cart and a short while later into our pantry where they sat for a while. I pulled that bag out a few times, gave it some thought and still had no earthly idea what I could do with these. Until last night. That’s when Scott sent me a link to some great ways to enjoy and use figs.
Fig Bars ©Platter Talk
That’s just one of the things I love about this guy. He’s funny, I think he’s quite handsome, he’s a great dad and when he’s not poking fun of me and my Adirondack hillbilly quasi drawl, he is on occasion quite funny. From a pragmatic standpoint and in large part because of my mother-in-law who raised seven incredible humans beings single handedly while juggling three jobs, this best friend of mine is extremely resourceful. These bars could barely be any easier to put together and they take just a few ingredients. Pick some figs up the next time you see them and be amazed at what you can do with them. I hope you enjoy this one. -Dan
Fig Bars ©Platter Talk
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 9-inch square pan with cooking spray. In small bowl, beat ½ cup butter, ¼ cup granulated sugar and the vanilla with electric mixer until well blended. On low speed, beat in 1 cup flour until soft dough forms. Press dough in bottom of pan and bake 10 to 15 minutes or until center is set. Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, cook filling ingredients over medium-high heat 5 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until figs are tender and most of liquid is absorbed. Spread over crust. In small bowl, mix ¼ cup flour, the brown sugar and 3 tablespoons butter, using pastry blender or fork, until crumbly. Stir in oats and walnuts. Sprinkle over filling. Bake 15 to 20 minutes longer or until edges are bubbly and topping is light golden brown. Cool completely, about 1 hour. For bars, cut into 4 rows by 4 rows. Notes A quarter cup of chopped pecan pieces, toasted may be substituted for the walnuts.
As with any dessert recipe, nut may be complete omitted with these bars. 3.2.2925
