Crunchies - Traditional South African Oatmeal Cookie Bars

Ingredients

1. 4 cups (11 ½ oz) regular oats (not quick cooking)

2. 3 cups (9 oz) unsweetened shredded coconut

3. 1 cup (4 ½ oz) all-purpose flour

4. 1 ½ cups (10 ½ oz) granulated sugar

5. ½ teaspoon table salt

6. 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

7. 1 cup butter (salted) or stick margarine (I use butter)

8. 3 tablespoons (2 3/8 oz) golden syrup or honey

9. ¼ cup low fat milk

10. 2 teaspoons baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)

11. vegetable or canola oil spray

Instructions

1. Set the oven rack in the middle, and preheat oven to 325 degrees F. (160 C)

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 (or margarine) 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 for 25 – 35 minutes until golden brown. Rotate pan after 16 - 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. I usually cover them with foil after 16 - 18 minutes.

9. Remove from oven and set on wire cooling rack for 10 - 12 minutes. Cut while still warm into 1 1/2 inch squares, 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.

Notes

1. The longer you bake them the more "crunchy" they will get. If you prefer them more "chewy" just bake them for less time. (25 minutes.)

2. Cut your foil to fit the pan before you put them in the oven so you're prepared! Remove them from the oven to rotate and cover, keeping the oven door closed, so the temperature of the oven doesn't go down.

3. If necessary, put them on top of another baking sheet to stop the bottom from browning too quickly.

Recommended

1. Quaker regular oats, not quick cooking.

2. Bob's Red Mill Unsweetened Shredded Coconut.

3. Lyle's Golden Syrup.

4. I prefer low fat over whole milk, or they can get too greasy.

5. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.

6. Freeze in a Gallon Ziplock Freezer Bag; suck out the air with a straw.

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