Benne Seed Raisin Bars Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 10-by-15-inch rimmed baking sheet. Line bottom with parchment paper, and butter parchment; set sheet aside.
• Make filling: Pulse raisins and sugar in a food processor until almost pureed. Transfer to a saucepan. Whisk cornstarch into 1 cup cold water; whisk into raisin mixture. Stir in cider. Simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens and sugar has dissolved, about 6 minutes.Let cool completely.
• Make dough: Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside. Put shortening in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until smooth. Add brown sugar, and mix until pale and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add egg and vanilla, and mix until combined. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture; mix until just combined. Mix in oats.
• Press half the dough into prepared baking sheet. Spread raisin filling evenly over top of dough. Crumble remaining dough on top of filling using your fingers, gently pressing down so that topping covers filling. Bake, rotating sheet halfway through, until top is golden brown, about 35 minutes. Let cool completely in sheet on a wire rack. Cut into 2-inchsquares. Bars can be stored between layers of parchment in airtight containers at room temperature up to 5 days.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a large bowl with an electric mixer cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add tahini and beat until combined well. Beat in egg, vanilla, and salt. Add flour and beat batter until just combined. Beat in raisins and benne seeds. Spread batter evenly in a buttered jelly-roll pan, 15 1/2 by 10 1/2 by 1 inch, and bake in middle of oven until a tester comes out clean, about 16 to 20 minutes. Let cool in pan on a rack and cut into 36 bars. Bars may be made 3 days in advance and kept in an airtight container.

Steps:

• In a medium sauce pan over medium high heat add the sugar, raisins, water, butter, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and salt.
• Bring to a boil and gently boil for 3 minutes.
• Remove from heat and let cool (about 20 minutes).
• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Add other ingredients (except for the topping), to sauce pan and blend well.
• Spread in greased 10x15 pan.
• Combine all topping ingredients in a small bowl.
• Crumble topping over and press down slightly.
• Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes.
• Cool before cutting.