Glazed Raisin Bars (whole Wheat)

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

Ingredients

• Servings: 35
• 3 cups packed raisins (18 oz.)
• 4 cups whole wheat flour (1 lb.)
• 1 1/3 cups sugar (9 3/8 oz.)
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks, 6 oz.)
• 1/4 cup molasses (3 oz.)
• 1 3/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar (4 oz.)
• 3 tablespoons milk or 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Recipe

• 1 preheat the oven to 350 degrees f. lightly grease a 10x15-inch jelly roll pan, a 14-inch deep dish pizza pan, or similar size pan.
• 2 place the raisins and 2 cups of the flour in a food processor. process until the raisins are coarsely chopped i.e. each raisin should be chopped into about 4 pieces.
• 3 beat the sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl until smooth. add the molasses, baking soda, salt, and spices, beating until well combined.
• 4 beat in the eggs, scraping the bowl, then add the water and the flour-raisin mixture, beating gently until everything is combined. stir in the remaining 2 cups flour.
• 5 spread the batter into the prepared pan. it will be stiff. wet your fingers and spread out as smoothly as possible.
• 6 bake until the bars are beginning to brown, 25 minutes. poke a sharp knife in the middle of the dough. the inside should be very moist but not wet or unbaked looking. remove the bars form the oven and let cool in the pan.
• 7 glaze: stir together the powdered sugar and milk or lemon juice. when the bars are cool, use a pastry brush to spread the glaze over the bars. when glaze is hardened, cut bars into 2 inch square pieces.