Lemon Fig Bars

Light and spongy, packed with figgy goodness and a tang of lemon. Great combination and really easy to make. 

Servings: 20 bars       Time: 1 hr 20 min + cooling time      Difficulty: Easy

Credit: Adapted from an original recipe in Christine France’s excellent book “1 Mix, 100 Cakes”


Ingredients

  • Oil or melted butter to grease the tin
  • 225g ready-to-eat dried figs, chopped small
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice
  • 20g – 30g demerara sugar
  • 115ml water
  • 200g plain white flour
  • 2.5 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 200g unsalted butter, softened
  • 200g light muscovado sugar
  • 3 large eggs, beaten
  • 1 tsp lemon extract
  • Zest of a lemon

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 160C/Fan 140C/Gas 3. Grease and line a 23cm x 30cm (9″ x 12″) tray bake tin and lightly dust with flour.
  2. Put the figs, lemon juice, demerara sugar and water in a medium pan and bring to the boil. Lower the heat, cover and simmer gently, stirring occasionally until the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from the heat and beat lightly or use a stick blender to make a puree.Set aside to cool.
  3. Sift the flour, baking powder and cinnamon into a large bowl and add the butter, muscovado sugar, eggs and lemon extract.Beat well to obtain a smooth mixture then mix in the lemon zest.
  4. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and level the surface. Put random “blobs” of the fig puree over the mixture and swirl it in using a knife or maybe a chopstick. Bake in preheated oven for 40 – 50 minutes – until risen, firm and golden brown.
  5. Leave to cool in the tin for about 20 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack to cool fully. Cut into bars when cold.