Crumbly Oat Slices

Asked on 19 May 2021 by provinciallady

I made this week's cake of the week - Apricot Oat Slices - and it looked and smelt delicious when I took it out of the oven. After letting it cool in the tin for 10 minutes as directed I began to slice it into squares and it fell apart into crumbs. Can you suggest what I should do next time I make the recipe please?

Lindsey, Food Editor replied

Hello,

These can be a bit crumbly.

To make sure they hold together you need to be press each layer down it down very firmly.

Also, it helps if the chopped apricots are the very soft eating variety so that they feel a bit squidgy when they are chopped.

It can help to leave them to cool longer before you cut them so the butter has time to set and or chilling them in the fridge (particularly during warm weather) for half an hour makes cutting them easier.

Best wishes

Lindsey

provinciallady replied

Hello again, thankyou for your advice.

I had a second go at baking these last night and, once the tray was completely cold, I chilled them in the fridge overnight.
I also bought a squishier variety of dried apricots which I whizzed in a mini chopper and then warmed the mixture on the hob with 3 tbsps of water and 1 tbsp of set honey before adding it to my oblong tin.
I cut the tray into 15 portions this morning and am very glad to be able to tell you that they have stuck together beautifully and look almost exactly the same as the photograph shown at the top of the recipe. I shall be very proud to offer these to my friends this afternoon.

Thankyou for your prompt help with my question,

provinciallady