Honey and oat energy bars

BBC

Makes 8 bars

Ingredients

• 300 g (10½ oz) rolled oats
• 100 g (3½ oz) granola
• 115 g (4 oz) chopped hazelnuts
• 115 g (3½ oz) flaked almonds
• 50 g (5 oz) dried red fruits
• 175 g (6 oz) manuka honey
• 125 g (4½ oz) butter
• ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) ground cinnamon
• 1 vanilla pod, seeds only
• A pinch of salt
• 50 g (2 oz) melted white chocolate for the topping

Method

1. Pre-heat oven at 180°C/356°F/Gas Mark 4
2. Combine the oats, granola, hazelnuts, almonds and dried fruits in a large bowl.
3. Cut the vanilla pod in half lengthways and scrape out the seeds.
4. Place the honey, butter, cinnamon, vanilla pod seeds and the pinch of salt in a pan and simmer for 3 minutes.
5. Add the honey mixture into the dry ingredients in the bowl. Mix together.
6. Press into a shallow oven tray and bake for 25 minutes.
7. Whilst still warm, mark out the indentations for the bars.
8. Leave in the tray to cool and set for 30 minutes.
9. Cut into squares.
10. Place the white chocolate in a glass bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir gently until melted.
11. Using a wooden spoon, fleck the surface with the melted white chocolate.  

Did you know?

In the middle ages, bee keeping became England’s fourth biggest industry.