@homehandymum would you mind sharing your apricot loaf recipe? It sounds delicious and I have some dried apricots to use up in my pantry. I, too, have been trying to keep baked goods available for the kids for snacking.
With pleasure! It's a recipe from a circa 1977 La Leche League fundraiser recipe book that used to belong to my mother in law :) It makes quite a dense loaf, but to lighten it up, you could use half wholemeal, half white flour, instead of all wholemeal as the recipe calls for.
Apricot LoafIngredients**1 cup chopped dried apricots
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup boiling water
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 - 2 1/4 cups wholemeal flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 egg
Place apricots, sugar and butter in a bowl and add water. Soak for about 10 minutes. Add baking soda and then remaining ingredients. Mix thoroughly. Will be a sticky batter consistency.
Bake 3/4 - 1 hr in a moderate oven 350degF (180degC)
**Note: measurements are NZ/Australian metric, so a cup = 250mL, 1 teaspoon = 5mL, 1 tablespoon = a uniquely NZ/Aus 20mL
Handy conversion chart here:
http://alldownunder.com/australian-convert/measurement-chart.htmToday, I substituted about 1/4 of the apricots with sunflower seeds, making it even denser and chewier. Could easily be made with any other dried fruit. Oh, and I routinely halve the sugar - the above recipe is given as it is written in the recipe book, though :)