Cookie-like Muesli Bars / Slices - Highly Recommended by Kids!!!

&version;"Mum, you HAVE to bake this muesli slice!!! It is so yummy!!!" said my son with his excited muffled voice as he was happily chewing a full mouthful of muesli slices. In response to his comment, my husband with a full mouthful of muesli slices too was nodding his head very repeatedly.
And I was like... What is so special about this muesli slice?
It was a chilly evening when we were picking my son from his after-school care and he was stepping out of the school with a plastic bag that is loosely filled with broken pieces of warm freshly baked muesli slices. Feeling peckish at that time, my husband took a few pieces of the slices from the bag and both my father and son were very happy munching all of the slices before entering the car. And guess what? I didn't even get to try anything!!! Even a tiny crumb... Nothing!
"Mum, you HAVE to get this recipe from Nicole. You HAVE to!"
Yes, boss... And I remember.
On my next before-school drop off, I asked Nicole for the recipe. She told me many kids in the after-school care enjoyed baking and eating these nut-free muesli slices and it is so good that she had prepared extra copies of this recipe because she knows that many parents will ask for the recipe from her eventually. See! She is right! LOL!
Looking at the recipe, I asked myself... What is so special about this muesli slice?
1) For sure, it is 100% nut-free because the before- and after-school care is strictly a nut-free zone! And it has no seeds too.
2) It contains no egg and honey! And this means that if it is made with any plant-based oil with high amount of saturated fat like coconut oil or Nuttelex, this slice can be a great vegan snack and dairy-free too!
3) It contains self raising flour, thus making these slices NOT the usual compact hard kind of muesli bars! In fact, it is so nicely puffed up that it tastes almost like muesli cookie with crispy edges but only when it is consumed on the same day of bake. And this is why these freshly baked slices are so satisfying and addictive to eat!!! ... and I don't even get to eat a tiny crumb from the after-school care plastic bag of goodies... LOL!

On the subsequent days of bake, the slices won't be crispy anymore as they develop into the moist, soft and typical chewy type of slice texture. Yet, they are equally good and delicious... So good that my son has been asking me repeatedly to pack more these slices into his school lunches. And I'm so happy to hear that he likes these fruity oaty treats :)
4) It contains desiccated coconut! Nothing usual here but it is a surprise to me that my desiccated-coconut-dessert-hating husband and son don't mind this addition in these slices!
"I thought you don't like desiccated coconut in your cakes and treats."
"Yup! We don't mind!"
"Hmmm..."

This is really really really an awesome recipe! Plus it's extremely easy to bake as the kids at the after-school care are baking it :)

After reading my post, you too might HAVE to try this recipe??? Will you? LOL!

Crispy Nut Free Muesli Slice - Highly Recommended by Kids!!!

Baking the slices is extremely easy! ... as the kids at the after-school care are baking them.

Yes Yes Yes that baking these slices is extremely easy and you might want to watch my one-minute video showing how I baked these yummy treats.

Baking these is extremely therapeutic too as my kitchen was smelling lovely with coco-nutty fragrant :) 

I wish that this picture showing the non-compact texture of the slices will "illustrate" their taste as well.
Nevertheless, you HAVE to believe me that these slices are very very very yummy :)

From what I have observed, I realised that these slices are actually in their best to enjoy when they are freshly baked and even slightly warm and so I have re-write this recipe in a way that I can bake a small standard amount like one 10 x 20 cm loaf which makes about five 4 x 10 cm slices and prefer to bake this small portion as often as I want.

If you like to bake it in a 20 x 20 cm square tin or 15 x 25 cm loaf tin, please use two times the amount mentioned in this recipe.
Here's the recipe.

Makes one 10 x 20 cm loaf - can be cut into five 4 cm x 10 cm slice

Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F. Line a 10 x 20 cm loaf pan with baking paper.

In a mixing bowl, use a spoon or spatula to combine:

50g (1/2 cup) rolled oats, not the instant kind
75g (1/2 cup) self raising flour
40g (1/2 cup) fine desiccated coconut
50g (1/4 cup) any sugar and I like to use brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup any dried fruits, small or coarsely chopped - I was asked to add 1/4 cup raisins and 1/4 cup dried cranberries and we always love this combination
2 tsp chia seeds, optional and I like to add this for our good health :)

In a saucepan or a large heat proof bowl, place:

60g (1/2 stick or 1/4 cup) unsalted butter
1/2 tbsp golden syrup
1 tbsp water

Cook and stir the butter mixture with low heat or microwave with short pulses of low power until the butter is completely dissolved. Do not over-heat mixture!

Add 1/2 tsp baking soda very slowly into the melted butter, bit by bit. Just in case that the melted butter is too hot and the mixture will froth crazily and will make a mess in your kitchen!

Pour the butter mixture into the oat mixture and use a spoon or spatula to mix until all are well moistened. If you think that your mixture is dry, you can let mixture rest for about 10-15 mins at room temperature and it will moisten the mixture further.

Scrape mixture into the prepared pan and use the back of a spoon to press the mixture evenly into the the pan. Bake for 20 mins or until deep golden brown.

Allow the museli slice to cool slightly in the pan for about 10 mins. Transfer onto a cutting board and cut into slices while it is slightly warm. Please take note that the warm slices can be fragile and crumbly to cut and handle and so you will have to cut the slices very carefully and gently. After cutting, transfer each slice into soft paper cups or small pieces of baking paper to hold each of the slices well to serve. If the slices crumbles slightly, you can push the loose or broken pieces back together and most often, the slices will cool completely well to form one intact piece of slice! Important: Do not cut the slices when it is completely cooled as the cooled and firm slices will fall apart easily and can't form into one intact piece again! Serve while the slices are warm or cooled at room temperature. Both are equally delicious with crispy edges.

Store uneaten slice in air tight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. On the subsequent day of bake, the slices will become moist, soft and chewy, loses its crispy edges and so we reckon the slices are the best when they are freshly baked.

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