Everyone loves Larabars. They're so "clean" and straightforward, they are good snacks for people with allergies. There aren't any sneaky ingredients, only 2 - 9 real foods miraculously mashed in to a dense bar. I usually get a box of the bite sized bars - just the right size to satisfy my sweet tooth.
Because I can't have gluten or soy, my treat options are limited and expensive. I prefer to make my own foods when I can. I scoured the web (a phrase you'll hear a lot from me) and found an array of recipes for home-made Larabars. I also found that no matter what you do, you can't duplicate whatever it is they do to give them shelf-life without preservatives. The secret, apparently, is in the packaging and the packaging process.
Now, other blogs and websites give you a list of ingredients and tell you to mix them up. What most don't tell you: Dates are really, really sticky and if you don't pay attention to the blending process they will muck up your blade, pull it to a halt, and wreck your machine! I wrecked two. I'm not upset, in the end I still learned how to make Larabars at home. I'm happy to be able to share my lesson and save your machine from the same fate. Admittedly, my machine choices weren't ideal, but we don't all have top of the line food processors in our kitchens, and I assumed anything with a spinning blade would work.
I first tried the food processor attachment for my KitchenAid submersible blender. The spinning gear in the lid portion stripped and that was that. Next, I tossed some dates into my KitchenAid blender. The rubber feet between the top of the blender (pitcher) and the base were completely obliterated under the strain, and now my blender is useless. I didn't stop there though! I had just bought two pounds of dates, which are apparently really hard to find at a Safeway this time of year, and I had one more machine under the cabinet. I tried an actual food processor. I have a Black and Decker Mini-Pro Plus from my days of blending baby food for my youngest. It handled the dates just fine. By the time I got to this third attempt, I also learned this important tip: stop the machine before the mass looks like paste. It's pasty long before it looks like it. When you're approaching a really sticky consistency, carefully use the pulse button to pulse the dates around so you don't stress the machine. Be patient, it take a while but it's worth it. You'll get the hang of it soon enough.
The basis for any recipe will be about 10 pitted dates. I tore my dates into a few pieces after pulling the pit out, the smaller bits being easier on the machine. The process: Just make your basic date paste in a sturdy food processor as described above, and then stir in or mash in with your hands some fruits or nuts.
For the cashew bar recipe, mix in 1/4 cup or so, as desired, of cashews (hand chopped or put through the food processor).
For the cherry bar, add 1/4 cup dried tart cherries to the dates and process together, or fresh pitted cherries if you prefer.
Try dried tropical fruits, shredded coconut, cinnamon, vanilla, cocoa powder, anything you might try in a dessert cookie.
Some recipes also begin with a paste of a fig and date mixture. Try what you like best.
Shape the mixture into a bar about 1/2" thick and 1 1/2" wide, and however long that stretches. Then, cut it into pieces roughly 1 1/2". You will end up with 1 1/2" square bites that are 1/2" thick. The perfect nibble. I tapped the sides and ends against the cutting board to square them off.
Store these in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks, depending on the mix-ins. Fresh fruits will not store as long.
No comments:
Post a Comment