PECAN PIE BARS

There are a couple (thousand) things I hate about summer.

Read: it’s hot and sticky and it’s so scorching that I cannot get out of the house without dying ALSO summer clothes aren’t my fave, I miss my bomber jacket, my ankle boots and my uni friends AAAAAND my make-up melts on my face (no particular order, but I really, really miss my ankle boots).

There’s also a bunch of things I actually like:

Game of Thrones is usually back on summer!!!!! !!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Did you guys watch last night’s episode??? That intro was bangin’. Also bangin’?????? Certain man with a beard…
He he he he he
Summer produce!!!! And freedom!!!!!!!!!!!!! But especially those juicy summer peaches and apricots and watermelons UGH I’m living for summer fruit.
Even though I don’t really like fruit.
Though I will certainly make an exception for ripe peaches and apricots.

Can we please talk about how wonderfully apricots go with these bars? I mean, I gotta confess I was first going for peaches BUT apparently, a big bunch of people in town decided to join forces to – wait for it – buy all the flippin’ peaches in town.

A couple of hours later, several trips to every supermarket in town and three tantrums: I decided to use apricots instead.

And boy, am I glad I did!!!!

The tartness of these lil’ lovely fruits seems to complement these bars so well. First we have a buttery-but-not-really-cos-it’s-coconut-oil shorbread crust, and it’s everything you want to find in a pie.

So flaky.

So melty-in-your-mouth.

SO PERFECTTTTTTTTTTT.

Then we have a layer of – wait for it again, and have some patience today, my friend, because I’m feeling sassy – SMOKY APRICOTS.

Smoky you ask? Isn’t that for like tofu and vegetables????

Oh wait wait wait – don’t leave just yet. Bare with me and let me tell you how ~fabulous~ it feels to add a tiny bit of smoked salt to the apricot filling. It adds a certain je ne sais quoi which I adoooooooore. No, it won’t make them bars taste like bbq’ed meat, but it will take them to the next flippin’ level. It’s really the best combo when paired with some sweet panela sugar!

Then there’s a crumble topping.

In case you don’t know me (hello new friend): I like them crumby toppings a lot.

Streusel #1 fan here right now. I don’t know what it is about that combination of oats, nuts and coconut oils but it certainly drives me crazy.

In a good way.

Duuuuude I love these bars. They’re so easy to make too! Please, do yourself a favour and give them a go. I’m 101% sure you won’t regret doing so

Smoked Apricot Pecan Pie Bars

5 from 1 vote

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Ingredients

For the crust:

100 grams coconut oil melted
50 grams panela sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
150 grams white spelt flour

For the filling:

5 ripe apricots thinly sliced
50 grams panela sugar
15 grams white spelt flour
juice from half a lemon
a pinch of smoked salt

For the streusel topping:

50 grams old-fashioned oats
70 grams panela sugar
30 grams white spelt flour
50 grams coconut oil
80 grams toasted pecans crushed

Instructions

To make the shortbread, combine flours, sugar and salt in a bowl.
Add in the melted coconut oil amd vanilla and mix until combined.
Press the mixture into a baking pan and bake at 150ºC (300F) for 12-15 minutes.
Set aside to cool.
To make the filling, mix the sliced apricots with the lemon juice, flour, salt and spices and pour mixture over the baked crust.
Make the topping by combining all the ingredients in a bowl and cover the bars with it.
Turn the temperature up to 175ºC (350F) and bake the bars for 30-35 minutes or until golden.
Wait until they’re cold to cut them and enjoy them with some dairy free ice-cream!
Notes
Vanilla ice-cream recipe by Sarah of Snixy Kitchen. You can use any kind of flour you’d like, but GF flour mixes make these very crumbly. Brown or coconut sugar may be used as well. If you don’t have coconut oil on hand, butter substitures also work.