Sunshine bars

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N/A

Cuts into 18 bars

Source

Ingredients

100g dried ready-to-eat tropical medley or other mixed dried fruits

100g porridge oats

50g puffed rice cereal , such as Rice Krispies

85g desiccated coconut

50g blanched hazelnuts or shelled peanuts or other nuts

50g sunflower, sesame or pumpkin seeds

100g light muscovado sugar

125ml golden syrup

100g butter , chopped up

Method

Chop the tropical medley into pieces using kitchen scissors. Tip the oats, cereal, coconut and fruit into a large bowl and mix well, using a wooden spoon or clean hands. Put the hazelnuts and sunflower, sesame or pumpkin seeds in a frying pan with no oil and, over a moderate heat, stir until they are lightly toasted. Leave to cool a little then tip into the bowl and mix.

Put the sugar, syrup and butter in a small pan and heat gently, stirring with a wooden spoon until melted, then simmer for 2 minutes until slightly thicker and syrupy.

Quickly stir the syrup into the dry mix, stirring until it all starts to bind and there are no dry patches.

Quickly tip into a 20cm square tin and press down with the back of a spoon to even out the surface. Leave to cool and set – about 2 hours. Cut the mixture into 6 one way and 3 the other to make 18 bars. Store in a tin, or wrapped tightly in foil for up to a week.