Whole Wheat Fig Bars

Total Time: 40 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup vegetable shortening, i use butter or 1/3 cup margarine
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 (8 ounce) package dried figs, stems removed (can sub dates if you wish, but the figs are supreme)
• 2/3 cup water
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice or 3 tablespoons orange juice
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar (i use splenda)

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 375°f.
• 2 in a large bowl, beat together shortening, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla until creamy.
• 3 add all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, orange peel and salt, beating until blended.
• 4 refrigerate dough 1 to 2 hours.
• 5 prepare fig filling and set aside, see below.
• 6 on a floured surface, roll dough into 14 inch square.
• 7 cut dough into 4 equal strips, each 14 inches long and 3 1/2 inches wide.
• 8 spoon 1/4 of fig filling in a 1 1/2 inch wide mound down center of each strip.
• 9 using a long spatula, lift sides of each dough strip over filling, overlapping slightly on top.
• 10 press edges together to seal.
• 11 cut strips crosswise in half for ease of handling.
• 12 place, seam side down, 3 inches apart on greased baking sheets.
• 13 brush off any excess flour.
• 14 cut each strip into 7 (1 inch) crosswise pieces, but do not separate.
• 15 bake 13 to 15 minutes or until puffed and firm to the touch.
• 16 cool 5 to 10 minutes on baking sheets; then cut apart and remove to racks to cool completely.
• 17 fig filling.
• 18 in a medium saucepan, combine figs, water, lemon or orange juice and granulated sugar.
• 19 bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
• 20 reduce heat and simmer 5 to 10 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally; cool.