I grew up with hermit bars. The cookie type, not the human type. I favored them nicely sufficient, however they by no means seduced me.
Oreos, Kebbler Chocolate Chip Cookies, and Pepperidge Farm Brussels, then again, knew the right way to flirt. Flashes of chocolate, indecent quantities of creamy fillings, that rapscallion crunch.
Hermit bars, then again, had solely raisins to boast about. We’d see them at homely farmstands and at actually uninspired bake gross sales for the controversy membership. However they by no means made it to the snack desk on the cool youngsters’ events, like the sort Donna Doane and Bobby Heron threw.
When this recipe from the King Arthur Baking Firm Important Cookie Companion crossed my desk I almost handed on it. However everybody went on and on about how chewy and virtually fudge-like the bars had been.
Had they by some means elevated the standard hermit bar to one thing modern? One thing retro-camp-deluxe? I needed to strive.
To say these are “good” is doing them a grave injustice. Calling them “nice” is an understatement.
These had been so distinctive, The One took instant possession of them and–are you prepared–snuck them out of the home and absconded with them to town once I wasn’t paying consideration. And take into account, that is the man who turns up his nostril at dessert if it doesn’t have chocolate or pumpkin in it. In order that speaks volumes.
The oldsters at King Arthur Baking Firm are my new knights in shining armor (stated in my greatest tremulous Katherine Hepburn voice).
Why Our Testers Cherished This
Our testers are gushing about this hermit recipe and for good purpose. Jack V. is asking them the “greatest introduction” to hermit bars anybody may have and is delighted he has discovered “the proper recipe.” We couldn’t agree extra.
Notes on Elements
- Molasses–Use common unsulfured molasses, not blackstrap. Will probably be too overpowering for the bars.
- Unsalted butter–For those who substitute salted butter, lower the quantity of desk salt to 1/2 teaspoon.
- Raisins–You possibly can substitute dried currants or dried cranberries, should you favor.
Step-by-Step Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a jelly roll or deep dish pizza pan.
- Beat the shortening, sugar, and butter collectively till fluffy. Combine within the molasses, salt, spices, and baking soda. Beat the eggs in one after the other.
- Combine in half of the flour. Add the water, adopted by the remaining half of the flour, then fold within the raisins. Unfold the batter within the ready pan.
- Bake the hermit cookies. When the sides are gentle brown, and the highest is shiny, take away the hermit bars from the oven and funky to room temperature earlier than glazing.
- Glaze the bars. Combine the milk and sugar collectively and use a pastry brush to coat the tops of the bars.
Frequent Questions
I’ve used 2 cups of currants and, most not too long ago, dried cranberries. Each labored superbly. The cranberries did give these a special style.
I’m afraid not. Blackstrap molasses has a powerful taste and can overpower the stability of the bars. Stick with plain ole molasses.
At about 15 to twenty minutes, the bars will puff up and the highest will look shiny. That’s your signal to yank these instantly from the oven. You’ll suppose it’s too quickly, however I promise you it’s not. You’ll be rewarded with chewy, virtually fudge-like bars. Hubba hubba!
Professional Suggestions
- Retailer the bars in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 5 days or freeze for as much as 1 month.
- Use a pizza cutter to simply minimize even squares.
Extra Nice Bar Recipes
Write a Assessment
For those who make this recipe, or any dish on LC, take into account leaving a evaluation, a star score, and your greatest photograph within the feedback beneath. I really like listening to from you.–David
Make the hermit bars
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Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Frivolously grease a 10- by 15-inch (25- by 38-cm) jelly roll pan, a 14-inch (35-cm) spherical deep-dish pizza pan, or similar-sized pan.
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Within the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a big mixing bowl utilizing a hand mixer, beat collectively the shortening, sugar, and butter, beating at medium velocity till fluffy, 2 to three minutes.
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Add the molasses, salt, allspice, cinnamon, and baking soda. Combine for 1 minute, then cease the mixer and scrape down the edges of the bowl. Add the eggs one after the other, beating nicely after every addition.
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Combine in half the flour. As soon as it’s combined in, add the water, then the opposite half of the flour. When the batter is combined utterly, add the raisins and stir till mixed. Unfold or press the batter within the ready pan.
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Bake the hermits till the sides are gentle brown, 15 to twenty minutes. They’ll puff up within the oven and the highest will get shiny. As quickly as you see this, pull the pan from the oven. The highest will fall again down and the inside of the cookies could have an virtually fudgy consistency. (For those who go away them within the oven longer, you’ll get a product that’s extra like a cake-type brownie, and it gained’t be as moist and irresistible.) Take away the hermits from the oven and funky them within the pan on a rack earlier than glazing.
Make the glaze
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In a small bowl, stir collectively the milk and confectioners’ sugar till clean; the glaze will likely be fairly skinny. Utilizing a pastry brush, brush glaze on prime of the hermits earlier than chopping into bars.
- Substitutions–Use dried currants or cranberries as an alternative of raisins.
- Storage–Hold hermit bars in a sealed container within the fridge for as much as 5 days.
- Freezing–The hermit bars might be frozen in an hermetic container for as much as 1 month.
- Slicing–Use a pizza cutter to make evenly sliced bars.
Serving: 1 servingEnergy: 233 kcalCarbohydrates: 46 gProtein: 3 gFats: 5 gSaturated Fats: 2 gMonounsaturated Fats: 2 gTrans Fats: 1 gLdl cholesterol: 14 mgSodium: 113 mgFiber: 1 gSugar: 26 g
Diet data is robotically calculated, so ought to solely be used as an approximation.
Recipe © 2021 King Arthur Baking Firm. Photographs © 2021 Liz Neily. All rights reserved.
Recipe Testers’ Critiques
Having shared these chewy hermit bars with the neighborhood, I had somebody eat all of the bars earlier than their partner acquired residence as a result of they had been so good they didn’t wish to share. I had one other provide to rent me to bake batches of those to present away as vacation presents. Positive, in California these may simply be novelty reactions to those that have by no means had (not to mention heard of) hermit bars earlier than, however I’d argue this recipe is one of the best introduction somebody may have.
What makes them so good? The important thing to success right here is within the baking directions: pulling from the oven as quickly as the highest is shiny and letting them collapse again onto themselves for a dense, fudge consistency.
I lived in New England for six years, and the downfall of so many hermit bars is they’re overcooked, taking up a cakey texture that dries out after the primary day. These bars had been nonetheless scrumptious on day 5, although I’d suggest consuming the sting items first and saving the middle items for final, since they final the longest. These had been all the pieces I hoped for and I can lastly hand over my grail quest for an ideal recipe.
Tasty, conventional chewy hermit bars. I acquired 49 bars, so I’m glad they’re supposed to maintain nicely. I used a 12-by-12-inch ovenproof baking dish which labored nicely. Subsequent time, I’d divide into 9-by 9-inch and an 8-by 8-inch pan and freeze one in all them.
