Apricot, Pistachio & Chocolate-Chip Bars

The trick to ensuring the right amount of crispiness in these bake sale favorites is partially baking the bottom layer before adding the sweet apricot filling and texture-rich crumb topping.  

• 9 oz. (2 cups) all purpose flour
• 1-1/4 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. table salt
• 8 oz. (1 cup) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 4 oz. (about 1 cup) chopped, shelled natural pistachios
• 1/2 cup diced dried apricots
• 1/2 cup white chocolate or semisweet chocolate morsels
• 15-1/4-oz. jar apricot preserves

Tip:

For the best results, measure your flour by weight instead of volume. (1 cup of all-purpose flour equals 4-1/2 oz.) If you don’t have a scale, be sure to use the proper technique when filling your measuring cups.

Heat the oven to 325°F. With an electric mixer, combine the flour, oats, sugar, cinnamon, and salt; mix on low speed until well combined. Add the butter and mix on medium until the butter is mostly blended and the mixture appears moist and begins to pull together, about 3 minutes. Stir in the pistachios. Reserve 1-1/2 cups of this crumb mixture, stir the dried apricots and chocolate morsels into it, and refrigerate.

Firmly press the remaining mixture into the bottom of an ungreased 13x9-inch baking pan. Bake in the middle of the oven for 25 minutes. Let cool for about 20 minutes (leave the oven on). Spread the apricot preserves evenly on top, leaving a 1/8-inch border around the edge of the crust.

Crumble the reserved crumb mixture over the apricot preserves. Return to the oven and bake until lightly browned and the fruit filling is bubbling all over, including the center of the pan, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool completely before slicing into 18 bars (or into smaller pieces, if you like).