MARY’S MAINE BARS

• portioner: Yield: 20 bars
• aktiv tid: 15 minutes
• total tid: 45 minutes

Ingredienser

1½ cups (204 grams) all-purpose flour

1½ cups (204 grams) whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

¾ teaspoon ground cloves

1 cup (200 grams) sugar

¾ cup (180 ml) unsulfured molasses

½ cup (120 ml) flavorless oil, such as canola

1 large egg, at room temperature

¼ cup (60 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature

Sanding or granulated sugar, for sprinkling

Vejledning

Center a rack in the oven and preheat it to 350 degrees F. Generously butter a 9-x-13-inch baking pan or coat it with baking spray. Line it with a piece of parchment paper.

Whisk both flours, the baking soda, salt and spices together.

Working with a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the sugar, molasses, oil and egg together until smooth.

Add half of the dry ingredients and pulse the mixer to start blending them in, then beat on low speed only until the flour disappears into the dough.

Pour in the buttermilk and mix to combine.

Add the remainder of the dry ingredients and, still working on low, beat until incorporated. You’ll have a smooth, heavy, sticky dough.

Scrape the dough into the pan, using a knife or offset spatula to get it into the corners and to even the top as best you can. Sprinkle with sugar.

Bake for 26 to 30 minutes, rotating the pan after 15 minutes, or until the top is dry and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack.

After 10 minutes, run a blunt table knife around the edges of the pan, invert the Maine bars onto a rack, peel away the paper, turn it over onto another rack and let cool. When you’re ready, cut it into 20 bars (about 1¾ x 3¼ inches).

Notater

Storing: Wrap the bars well, and they will be fine at room temperature for at least 4 days; wrapped airtight, they can be frozen for up to 2 months. Recipe Variations: Maine Blueberry Bars - Once the dough is mixed, gently stir in 1 cup fresh blueberries. Or, if you’re making this in any season but summer, use 1 cup dried blueberries that you’ve soaked in very hot tap water for about 10 minutes, drained and patted dry.

Maine Apple Butter Bars - Once the dough is spread evenly in the pan, dot the top with spoonfuls of apple butter (spiced or plain) — you’ll need about ¼ cup — and use a blunt table knife to swirl it into the dough to create a nicely marbled surface.