Tangy-Chewy Fruit Bars

By Late2Serenity

Ingredients

• CRUST
• 8 tablespoons (4 ounces) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) confectioners' or glazing sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups (5 1/4 ounces) All-Purpose Flour
• TOPPING
• 4 tablespoons (2 ounces) unsalted butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (4 ounces) half and half
• 1 1/2 cups (7 to 9 ounces) of your favorite dried fruit, cut into 1/4" pieces if large; cranberries, apricots, golden or regular raisins, cherries, pineapple, mango, and apple are all good choices
• 1 cup (3 3/4 ounces) diced pecans
• 1/2 teaspoon tart and sour flavor, optional

Details

Servings 16
Adapted from kingarthurflour.com

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 375F. Lightly grease a 9" x 9" pan.

To prepare the crust: In a medium-sized bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Add the flour, scraping the bowl and mixing until everything is well combined. Press the crust into the bottom of the prepared pan, and bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until lightly browned.

To prepare the topping: Melt the butter with the salt, sugar, and half and half. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring frequently. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens. Stir in the fruit, nuts, and tart and sour flavor. Spread the topping over the baked crust.

To bake the bars: Bake the bars for 14 to 16 minutes, until the crust is starting to brown (you should be able to see just the edge of it), and the fruit mixture is bubbly. Remove from the oven. After 45 minutes, use a bench knife or table knife to loosen the edges of the bars from the pan. Don't wait too long, or they will have cemented themselves to the sides of the pan. Cut the bars when they're completely cool.