Hi Everyone! It’s Isa here, I’m usually either in the kitchen or with a lens in my hand making some Casa Marcela magic and today I want to share with you one of my favorite recipes from Casa Marcela: Recipes and Food Stories of my Life in The Californias. The Aztec Fruit Bars are my favorite not only because they are delicious but because they are also so versatile. This is a Mexican version of a breakfast bar that also makes the perfect snack for any time of the day. I truly feel the world needs more homemade snack recipes, and this is definitely a contribution to that. They are a great source of energy for any morning or even lunch. They are the perfect on the go home made snack. This breakfast bar is so good you will even want to have it for dessert. The combination of dried fruits and amaranth are a perfect pair to brighten any morning. Go ahead and make them in advance resting assured you’ll be ready to go when it comes to a quick breakfast or on the go snack.
Saludos,
Isabella Martinez Funcke
Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ancho chile powder
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup popped amaranth
- 1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 1 cup raw almonds, chopped
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup dried figs, cut into quarters
- 1/2 cup dates, pitted and cut into quarters
- 3/4 cup dried apricots, cut into quarters
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon honey
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees and place the rack in the center of the oven. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with foil and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and ancho chile powder. Stir in the brown sugar, popped amaranth, bittersweet chocolate, almonds, and dried fruit. Use your fingers to make sure that everything has been coated with the flour mixture evenly.
In a separate bowl, using a stand mixer with a whisk, beat the egg, vanilla, and honey until thick, about 1 minute. Add the egg mixture to the fruit and flour mixture and mix using a spatula until everything is coated with the egg mixture. Spread onto prepared baking pan, pressing to even out.
Bake for about 30 minutes, or until batter is golden brown and has pulled away from the sides of the pan. Remove from oven and let cool. When cooled, lift bar from the pan by the edges of the aluminum foil. Use a sharp knife to cut into 16 even squares.
