Raisin Crumb Bars for One

This may come as a surprise to you, but I don’t like to eat first thing in the morning. I like to see what’s happening in the world and go get some exercise and THEN I’m ready to think about food. So I don’t really mind if something takes a while to prepare. Once you’ve had this tasty treat, you won’t mind either.

For the Filling:

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1/3 cup raisins

4 TBLSP orange juice

2 ½ TBLSP shredded coconut

For the Crust and the Crumb:

5 ½ TBLSP all-purpose flour

5 ½ TBLSP rolled oats

3 ½ TBLSP brown sugar (packed)

Pinch baking soda

2 ½ TBLSP vegan butter

2 ½ TBLSP chopped peanuts

Cinnamon to taste

Make the Filling:

1. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and cornstarch. Stir in the raisins and orange juice. Cook over medium heat until it thickens.
2. Stir in the coconut.
3. Set this raisin mixture aside to cool.

Make the Crust and the Crumb:

1. In a small bowl, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, and baking soda and mix them well.
2. Add the butter and cut it in with a fork or pastry knife until the mixture resembles large crumbs.

Assemble the Bars:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

1. In an ungreased mini-loaf pan, two ramekins, or three muffin tin holes, press enough of the crumb mixture into the bottom(s), to make a crust. Mine was fairly thick in the mini-loaf pan. You definitely want to use half of the crumb mixture for the crust.
2. Spoon in the raisin mixture, dividing it evenly among your various vessels and spreading it evenly to completely cover the crumb crust.
3. Stir the chopped peanuts into the remaining crumb mixture, and spread the mixture over the top of the bars. Press it slightly into the raisin mixture. Sprinkle the top with cinnamon.
4. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.

Cool on a wire rack, and then, if necessary, cut into squares. You might need to run a knife around the edges to make the cake come out of the pan. When you turn it over, it will lose lots of crumbs, so do it over a plate or the sink (and not the floor).