More portable and slightly neater than pie, these fruity bars combine a buttery, oat-based crumble base/topping with a sweet cherry and apricot filling. My local market happened to have red apricots, so I used those, but plain old apricot-colored apricots will do just fine. Take these treats on a picnic or to the beach or an outdoor concert, or enjoy them for breakfast or as an afternoon indulgence with a cup of java. And if you want to use frozen cherries, feel free – no need to thaw them first.

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Makes 9 bars

Ingredients

Oat Crumble:

• 1 ½ cups (195 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (44 grams) old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 cup (108 grams) firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 8 tablespoons (113 grams) cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
• 1 ½ tablespoons cold water
• 1/4 cup (30 grams) slivered almonds

Cherry-Apricot Filling:

• 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon (7.5 grams) cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 14 ounces (397 grams or 3 cups) fresh ripe sweet cherries, rinsed, de-stemmed and pitted
• 4 apricots (about 5 ounces/142 grams), cut in half, pitted and cut into ½-inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Confectioners’ sugar, for sprinkling

Instructions

Make the oat crumble:

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350° Cut a piece of parchment paper to measure 16-inch x 8-inch. Spray the bottom and sides of an 8-inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Line the pan with the parchment paper, letting it extend 2 inch above two opposite sides.

2. Place the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Process until the oats are finely ground. Scatter the butter cubes over the flour mixture and process for about 6 seconds, until the mixture resembles a coarse meal with a few pea-sized pieces of fat. Add the cold water and process until the mixture forms a crumbly dough.

3. Sprinkle half (226 grams) of the dough into the prepared pan, spreading it evenly. Press the dough firmly over the bottom of the pan. Bake the crust for 15 minutes.

Make the filling:

4. In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Add the cherries, apricots and lemon juice and toss to coat well. When the crust is ready, spread the fruit mixture evenly over it.

Top and bake the bars:

5. Add the slivered almonds to the remaining Oat Crumble and toss the mixture well. Sprinkle the crumble over the fruit filling.

6. Bake the bars for 50 to 55 minutes, until the topping is lightly browned. Cool the bars completely in the pan set on a wire rack.

7. Dust the cooled bars with confectioners’ sugar. Cut into 9 bars. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Recommended Equipment:

USA Pan Bakeware Square Cake Pan, 8 inch, Nonstick & Quick Release Coating

LoveBB 500 Pcs Icing Piping Bags Disposable 10.6 inch