Drunken Holiday Fruit Bars

It wouldn’t be holidays in my house without some kind of dried fruit soak in a liqueur and combined with desserts……blame in on my European up-bringing….if you must.
 

This year holidays won’t be any different ….why should they? If ain’t broke why fix it…..right?

This year my “liqueur” of choice is ORANGE liqueur……and my “drunken” fruit of choice is mixture of raisins, cranberries and apricots……here come….DRUNKEN HOLIDAY FRUIT BARS.

Don’t worry you can indulge in Drunken Holiday Fruit Bars and still drive…… They won’t give you a buzz (unlike my Deadly Rum balls)….. and they are safe for children to eat especially if you use the quick boiling method where most of the alcohol evaporates.

PRINTABLE VERSION:

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup Flour
• 1/2 Brown Sugar
• 1/2 Butter (room temperature & unsalted)
• 3/4 cup Raisins
• 3/4 cup Cranberries (dried)
• 1/2 cup Apricots (dried & chopped)
• 1/2 cup Orange Liqueur (Grand Marnier, Triple Sec…)
• 3 Eggs
• 1 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
• 1/2 cup Flour
• 2 tsp Vanilla
• 1/2 Pecans (chopped)
• Icing Sugar

STEP 1: Soak raisins, cranberries and apricots in the liqueur overnight or if you don’t have time put all dried fruit and orange liqueur into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Let stand for 20 minutes and drain.

STEP 2: Preheat oven to 350F.

STEP 3: In a large bowl mix together flour and brown sugar. Cut in the butter till you have well combined and crumbly mixture. Press the crust mixture into the 9 x 13″ pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until light golden.

STEP 4: Meanwhile get the filling ready by beating eggs with brown sugar till light and fluffy. Add vanilla. Gradually mix in flour. When mixed well fold in the pecans and cooled fruit.

STEP 5: Pour the filling over baked crust and bake for another 35 minutes.

STEP 6: Cover the pan with foil for the last 10 minutes of baking.

STEP 7: Sprinkle with icing sugar. Let it completely cool down and cut into bite size bars.

Drunken Holiday Fruit Bars

Are there some special traditions or ingredients when comes to Holiday baking or cooking in your home? 

This recipe is linked to these yummy recipe blog hops:

MELT IN YOUR MOUTH MONDAY, MONDAY,MMM…DESSERT,HEARTH & SOUL, TUESDAY AT THE TABLE, TEMPT MY TUMMY TUESDAY, MADE FROM SCRATCH TUESDAY,