Recipe of the Quarter: Crunchies - Delicious South African oatmeal and coconut cookie bars

8/1/2013

Adapted from "Kook en Geniet" by S.J.A. de Villiers

Ingredients

• 4 cups (11.5 oz) oats (recommended: Quaker regular oats, not quick cooking)
  
• 3 cups (9 oz) unsweetened shredded coconut (recommended: Bob's Red Mill)
  
• 1 cup (4.5 oz) all-purpose flour
  
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
  
• ½ teaspoon table salt
  
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  
• 1 cup butter (salted)
  
• 3 tablespoons golden syrup or honey
  
• ¼ cup milk (just under ¼ cup, preferably low fat)
  
• 2 teaspoons baking soda

Method

1. Set the oven rack in the middle, and preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Spray 10 x 15" jelly roll pan with canola oil spray.
3. In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients (except for baking soda) very well.
4. Melt butter and syrup (or honey) in a small bowl in the microwave - about 1 minute. Allow to cool for 5 minutes.
5. Stir baking soda into just under ¼ cup milk, making sure it dissolves completely.
6. Add the cooled butter mixture and the milk mixture to the dry ingredients and mix very well with a spoon-or even better, just get in there with your hands! Make sure to incorporate dry ingredients at the bottom of the bowl. 
7.  Distribute evenly on prepared baking sheet. Press down very well with the back of a flat spoon, or roll with a rolling pin. (I distribute and flatten a bit with the spoon and then use the rolling pin to compact and even out.) Push down any edges that come up with your fingers or the spoon.
8. Bake in the middle of the oven for 25 - 30 minutes until golden brown. Rotate pan after about 18 minutes. Keep an eye on them; if browning too quickly cover loosely with foil. And/or turn the oven down to 300 degrees F for the last five to ten minutes of baking. (The longer you bake them the crunchier they will get.)
9. Remove from oven and set on wire cooling rack for 10 - 12 minutes. Cut while still warm into squares (about 2 inches), with a sharp, serrated knife-preferably with a round tip.
10. Allow to cool completely before removing from pan. You might have to carefully run the knife through the cuts again before removing them.
11. Can be kept in an airtight container for up to a week.

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