Want to make breakfast bars from my favourite museli

[seans_potato_business]

I want to make breakfast bars from my favourite museli. The museli contains 25% sugar which I think comes entirely from the sweetened dried fruit pieces. The museli comprises 40% fruit and 10% nuts and seeds. The recipes I've been looking to modify tend to include sugar. Is this sugar necessary to bind the bars together or is it just to sweeten them? If it's just to sweeten them, I think I can leave it out, especially since I want to use apple sauce in there as well.

 

[GotGarlic]

Hi. You could try starting with this recipe. As the article says, it's important to use the dates because they provide sweetener and bind the bars together.

http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-mak...t-home-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-184306

 

[Aunt Bea]

Here is another recipe, with 5 ingredients.

I like the addition of peanut butter as a binder, it may not fly in Scotland.

I think you could swap the honey for thick applesauce or use the more concentrated apple butter in this recipe without a problem. The biggest concern with adding applesauce is the moisture. You could also keep the honey and use dried apples for part of the fruit in the recipe.

5 Ingredient Granola Bars | Minimalist Baker Recipes

Have you considered using the ingredients in your favorite museli instead of the finished product? It might be cheaper and would give you more control over the sugar in the finished product.

Good luck!

 

[seans_potato_business]

Thanks for the suggestions. I tried with just the museli (500 g), peanut butter (450 g) and apple sauce (200 g) and after sitting in the fridge for a while they were pretty stiff although kind of sticky. Would it make sense to dust them with flour so they aren't sticky or is that stupid?

I've bought some dates so I'm going to try a date variation next.

 

[Aunt Bea]

Thanks for the suggestions. I tried with just the museli (500 g), peanut butter (450 g) and apple sauce (200 g) and after sitting in the fridge for a while they were pretty stiff although kind of sticky. Would it make sense to dust them with flour so they aren't sticky or is that stupid?

I've bought some dates so I'm going to try a date variation next.

I would stay away from the flour. How about coating them with crushed nuts or grated coconut.

Maybe you could adapt your recipe to one of these baked granola bar recipes to reduce or eliminate the stickiness.

Homemade Granola Bars Recipe : Ina Garten : Food Network

Granola Bars Recipe : Alton Brown : Food Network

 

[GotGarlic]

Nuts or coconut might work. When I made the recipe I posted, I cut it into bars and wrapped them individually in waxed paper. This way, they can be eaten easily out of the paper and are portable without getting dusty btw, dates are pretty sticky, too. But that's what holds the bars together.