Use up the last fruit bits to make whole-grain jammy bars

Ingredients

Jam

• 1 pound mix of fruit (see note)
• 0.5 cup (100g) light brown sugar, packed
• 3 tablespoons (23g) flour
• 2 tablespoons of lemon or lime juice (about 1 lemon or lime worth of juice and zest)
• A tiny pinch of salt
• 0.5 teaspoon spices, optional (see note)

Dough

• 2.25 cups (270g) white whole wheat flour
• 1 cup (90g) rolled oats
• 0.75 cup (150g) light brown sugar, packed
• 1.25 teaspoons baking powder
• 0.5 teaspoon table salt
• 16 tablespoons (2 sticks or half a pound) unsalted butter, melted

Directions

1. Stir together the dough ingredients, making sure there’s no dry spots. Let the dough rest some to hydrate tho whole wheat flour.
2. Preheat oven to 375°F.
3. Wash and cut the fruit. Toss with the rest of the jam ingredients until evenly coated. Or, pulse it all in a food processor to let kids press buttons.
4. Press about 2/3 of the dough into an even layer in a greased 8x8” pan.
5. Spread the jam mixture evenly on top.
6. Sprinkle the remaining 1/3 dough on top, as even as you care to.
7. Bake for 55 minutes or so. Cool completely before cutting.

Notes

• Store in the fridge past a day or so.
• Recipe halves perfectly for an 8x4” loaf pan.
• Fruits I’ve tried are mixes of berries or high-pectin fruits like apples and pears.
• Spices could be cinnamon, ginger, cloves, or anything you’d like really. I omit it most of the time.
• Recipe adapted from King Arthur Baking’s recipe for jam bars .