Grandma's Famous Orange Glazed Fruit Bars

Ingredients

Butter:

Brown Sugar, Honey, Molasses:

Eggs:

Dry Ingredients:

Raisins, Orange Zest and Walnuts:

Orange Glaze:

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°.
  2. Butter sides and bottom of 13x9x2-inch oblong cake pan (or quarter sheet pan) and set aside.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients; set aside.
  4. In a medium saucepan melt the butter over low heat.
  5. Remove saucepan from heat.
  6. Add brown sugar, honey and molasses to the melted butter and stir in.
  7. Whisk the eggs in a small bowl.
  8. Add the eggs to the saucepan and whisk to incorporate.
  9. Using a spatula, stir in the dry ingredients.
  10. Mix in the raisins and walnuts.
  11. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
  12. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes until just barely set and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
  13. Leave in pan and cool on a rack.
  14. Prepare the orange glaze:
  15. On low heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan.
  16. Remove from heat and whisk in confectioners sugar and orange juice.
  17. Whisk in 1 teaspoon of hot water at a time, until the glaze is smooth and will drizzle from a spoon.
  18. Quickly pour the glaze over the bars using a spatula to evenly spread over the top of the bars.
  19. Allow icing to set.
  20. Cut and serve.

Comments

Makes about 24 fruit bars.

Let's talk about molasses. There are three basic types of molasses sold in stores: light, dark and blackstrap. Light molasses is delicate and sweet. Dark molasses is full and robust in flavor. Blackstrap is ultra-dark, thick and has a slight bitterness to it's flavor.

What type of molasses do I like to use for my recipes? Blackstrap! It has a unique rich flavor that is less sweet than mild or dark molasses. If I can't find blackstrap molasses I will reach for dark molasses.

For a recipe that omits the orange zest and orange glaze and is less sweet click here.

Categorized in