Friday, April 24, 2009

Monkey Bars from the Sneaky Chef

This recipe was in my most recent Parenting Magazine. I thought it sounded good, the taste was good but the texture was way too moist. My 2 year old did like them, but I am going to add more flour next time. I also did half whole wheat flour to try and make them healthier.

Makes one dozen 3” bars
• 5 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup brown sugar, packed
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup Beech-Nut sweet potatoes (stage 1 or 2)
• ¼ cup Beech-Nut carrots (stage 1 or 2)
• 2 large bananas, mashed with the back of a fork (about 1 cup)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 egg yolks
• ½ cup rolled oats, old-fashioned, not quick cooking

• 1 cup all-purpose unbleached flour (ideally “whole wheat pastry flour”)

Optional Decoration:
• ½ cup white chocolate chips, melted in microwave

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Butter or spray only the bottom, not the sides, of an 11-by- 7-inch or 9-inch square baking pan.
In a saucepan over medium low heat, melt the butter, sugar, and salt. Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool a bit. Once cool, whisk in the baby food, bananas, vanilla, and egg yolks. Add the oats and flour and mix until just combined. Pour the entire mixture into the prepared baking pan and bake for 40 to 43 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool completely in pan before cutting the bars. If desired, dust with powdered sugar when cool, or drizzle melted white chocolate in a striped pattern across the tops of the bars.

Keeps for a week in the refrigerator, covered tightly.