Chewy apricot bars

Another one of my favourites.  It’s hard stopping at just one bar!  If you would like the bars a little less chewy, reduce the honey to 1 tbsp.

Ingredients:

2 cups Toasted coconut okara

1 cup corn flakes

1/2 cup raw sugar

1/2 cup chopped dried apricots

1/4 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup butter

2 tbsp. honey

cooking spray

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180oC.  Spray a 20x30cm pan with cooking spray and cover the bottom with baking parchment.

2. Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl.  Melt butter and honey together over low heat, and add to dry ingredients.  Press mixture firmly into baking pan, and bake for about 25 min., until golden.  (Mixture won’t be set in the middle.)  Allow to cool completely in pan before cutting into bars.

Okara macaroons

Remember when macarons were called macaroons?  And remember when they didn't have "feet" or pretensions to greatness?  That's because they don't need to.  They're yummy enough as they are.

(Makes about 20)

Ingredients:

1 egg, separated

pinch salt

1/3 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups Toasted coconut okara

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 160oC.  Cover cookie sheet with non-stick baking parchment.  Beat egg white with salt until soft peaks form.  Beat in egg yolk.  Gradually add sugar, and beat until sugar crystals are dissolved.  Stir in Toasted Coconut Okara, and mix.

2. Drop level tablespoonfuls of mixture onto cookie sheet.  Bake 15-20 min., until golden.  Cool on cookie sheet.

Okara Anzacs

An Australian institution, Anzac biscuits (that’s cookies to you folks in the US) have their origins back in WWI, when they were made to send in packages to the Australian and New Zealand soldiers fighting in the trenches in Europe.  Here I have replaced the traditional coconut with okara.  If you would like a chewier biscuit add just a smidgin more golden syrup.

(Makes about 35 biscuits/cookies)

Ingredients:

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup flour

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup toasted coconut okara

1/2 cup butter

2 tbsp. golden syrup

1/2 tsp. bicarb. soda (baking soda)

1 tbsp. boiling water

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 150oC.  Combine oats, flour, sugar, and Toasted Coconut Okara in a bowl.  Melt butter and golden syrup together over low heat.  Dissolve bicarb in boiling water, and add to butter mixture.  Add butter mixture to dry ingredients, and stir to combine.

2. Drop teaspoonfuls of mixture onto lightly-greased cookie sheets, allowing room for spreading.  Bake for 20 min.  Loosen from trays while still warm, but allow to cool on trays.