| Pastry
ingredients: |  |
| |
 | 2
cups whole wheat flour |
| 1/2
cup raw, unsalted walnuts, finely grounded* |
| 7
tablespoons unsalted butter |
| 4
tablespoons water |
| 1
tablespoon 1% milk
|
| Apricot
filing ingredients: |
|
|
|
1 cup dried apricots, chopped |
| Grated
rind of one orange** |
| 1-1/2
cups pasteurized apple juice |
| 1
teaspoon ground nutmeg |
| 1/3
cup raisins |
| Nonfat
cooking spray
|
| *You
can grind nuts in a cleaned out coffee grinder or food processor. **Before
grating the orange rind, wash the outside of the orange throughly with warm water
and soap then dry. This ensures that you wash off any germs that may be on the
surface from the store.
|
| Directions: | |
| |
| 1. | Preheat
oven to 400ºF. |
| 2. | Make
the pastry:
First,
wash your hands with soap and warm water then dry. In a large bowl, add flour,
nuts and butter then mix throughly with your fingers until mixture becomes crumbly.
Add the water and combine thoroughly until it becomes a dough. Roll into a slightly
flattened ball, wrap in plastic wrap and then refrigerate for 30 minutes. |
| 3. | Make
the filling:
In a small saucepan, add the apricots, orange rind,
and apple juice. Bring to a boil then lower heat to medium low and simmer, stirring
occassionally until apricots are softened and incorporated into mixture. Remove
from heat and allow to cool slightly. Place apricot mixture in a food processor
and blend until smooth. Pour into a small bowl then stir in nutmeg and raisins
and mix thoroughly. |
| 4. | Spray
a 9-inch cake pan on bottom and sides with nonfat cooking spray. |
| 5. | Divide
the dough in half. On a floured surface, roll out a half of the dough then place
it at the bottom of the pan. |
| 6. | Using
a spatula, spread the apricot filling on top of the pastry in the pan, leaving
1/4 - inch of space of the dough exposed on the edges. Brush the exposed dough
with water. Roll out the other half of the dough and place on top of the filling
and press down along the edges. |
| 7. | Use
a pastry brush and brush top of pastry with the milk. Prick surface with a fork
then bake for 25 minutes or until pastry is golden. |
| 8. | Cool
on a rack then cut into 10-12 bars. |
