Sunshine bars

Sunshine bars

The solution for any picnic or open air event – a no-bake bar packed with good stuff

Difficulty and servings

Easy

Cuts into 18 bars

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 25 mins

Plus 2 hours setting time

Method

  1. Chop the tropical medley into pieces using kitchen scissors. Tip the oats, cereal, coconut and fruit into a large bowl and mix well, using a wooden spoon or clean hands. Put the hazelnuts and sunflower, sesame or pumpkin seeds in a frying pan with no oil and, over a moderate heat, stir until they are lightly toasted. Leave to cool a little then tip into the bowl and mix.
  2. Put the sugar, syrup and butter in a small pan and heat gently, stirring with a wooden spoon until melted, then simmer for 2 minutes until slightly thicker and syrupy.
  3. Quickly stir the syrup into the dry mix, stirring until it all starts to bind and there are no dry patches.
  4. Quickly tip into a 20cm square tin and press down with the back of a spoon to even out the surface. Leave to cool and set - about 2 hours. Cut the mixture into 6 one way and 3 the other to make 18 bars. Store in a tin, or wrapped tightly in foil for up to a week.

PER SERVING

190 kcalories, protein 2.0g, carbohydrate 22.0g, fat 11.0 g, saturated fat 6.0g, fibre 2.0g, sugar 11.0g, salt 0.26 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, August 2002.

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Latest comments and suggestions

Results 1-20

  • 05 January 2008

    Fave Recipes rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    My Husband doesnt have chance for Breakfast and after cycling to work is hungry. So I make these bars and cut them into 10 portions, put them in grease proof paper then foil, its enough for 2 weeks. Easy to make, they keep well and you know whats in them. They also work out much cheaper than shop bought bars.

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  • Binder photo sis

    28 January 2008

    sis commented on this recipe

    hi i made this it was so good,am making it again .i put mine in the oven for 5 mins until it was golden on top it was great

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  • 10 March 2008

    pauline rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    this is a great recipe for the kids to eat. A healthy energy boost that is so much better than any of the shop brought ones. i did not have rice crispies so i used cornflakes and it worked out great. This recipe also stays together unlike so many flapjack ones i have tried. word of warning once you have started to eat it you won"t want to stop.....

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  • 24 April 2008

    sally rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    So good and so easy, these will become a regular in our house.

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  • 22 May 2008

    debdog123123 commented on this recipe

    This really didn't stay together and crumbled as soon as I attempted to cut it - possibly my fault. However, not to be put off, my husband and children ate it for breakfast with milk poured over like a cereal, and they thoroughly enjoyed it - a great start to the day too. They've requested that I make the same again so I imagine if it does work it would be lovely.........

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  • 25 June 2008

    Claire rated and commented on this recipe

    3 stars

    I love the taste I get from these, I've made them twice, but they don't stick together. Any tips?

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  • 24 September 2008

    Limey commented on this recipe

    delish - I changed the recipe around as I don't like coconut ans substituted honey for syrup. Really tasty and will definitely make again.

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  • 18 December 2008

    Marola rated and commented on this recipe

    3 stars

    Nice taste but too sticky. Might have preferred to cook them for a bit just to remove the raw consistence. Having said all that we will still eat them all............!!

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  • 29 December 2008

    patsyann commented on this recipe

    followed recipe came out sticky and crumbly ,tried again and put it in the microwave ful power for three minuets pressed it down and left over night came out perfect just like the picture .hope this helps ,this is how i will do mine in future

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  • 31 January 2009

    GillW commented on this recipe

    I have made these several times but like some other cocomments they are crumbly is it best to reduce the syrup or butter. They are delicious though even eaten with a teaspoon.

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  • 16 February 2009

    hayfaa rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Tastes very nice and so easy to make. However next time I will reduce syrup as it is a bit too sweet for us - maybe will try someone's suggestion using honey instead. :-)

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  • 24 February 2009

    Marquis Menu rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    Had same problem as majority of others - although they were sticky they crumbled!!!!!!!!!!!!! Children enjoyed them though and we will make them again - maybe try the slight baking and overnight in the fridge idea.

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  • Binder photo Jen

    30 March 2009

    Jen rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    These are so easy to make! Mine didn't crumble at all, I cut them into bars just before they set. They are so tasty, I had to stop myself from eating them all. I made them over a week ago, and I have stored them in an air tight container and they are still good to eat, my husband took some to work this morning. I am going to try making them with honey next time. Brilliant recipe!

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  • 12 August 2009

    Julie Gates commented on this recipe

    Easy to make - I made these with a group of parents and year 1 kids during our Healthy Eating session. Both parents and kids loved them and they stored well in container in fridge. Great non-cook recipe.

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  • 20 October 2009

    Debbie rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I love this recipe. I put in whatever dried fruit I have and leave out the nuts. The first time I made this it crumbled, so I simmered the syrup mix for longer the next time which worked a treat.

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  • 14 April 2010

    Sharon rated this recipe

    4 stars

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  • 15 May 2010

    Jane commented on this recipe

    Once the mix is in the tin, press down with a potato masher to firm it. This makes it easy to cut later.

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  • 01 June 2010

    tinysparkles* rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    tried these for the first time on sunday and they turned out perfect - was super easy to make and no oven required!! best of all everybody loved them and finished them off pretty quickly!! was so inspired i made up a chocolate version which was good but not as good as the original fruit mix.... love teh rice krispies in this recipe!

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  • 16 June 2010

    Ellen White rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    Having read the comments about the mixture being a little crumbly I made a change to the toffee sauce that binds everything togther. I upped the golden syrup to 150g and boiled the mixture for 5 minutes. Perfect! I think these bars would benefit from more fruit. I used a mixture of dried apricots, raisins and dried cranberries. The bars were delicious. I will definitely make it again.

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  • 03 July 2010

    jdymond rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    These are absolutely delicious! I put more fruit & seeds in and used cornflakes instead of rice crispies as that's what was in the cupboard; cornflakes work so well that I couldn't imagine it with crispies. I keep mine in the fridge, which keeps them a little firmer.

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Difficulty and servings

Easy

Cuts into 18 bars

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 25 mins

Plus 2 hours setting time

Make it with the kids

Ingredients

  • 100g dried ready-to-eat tropical medley or other mixed dried fruits
  • 100g porridge oats
  • 50g puffed rice cereal , such as Rice Krispies
  • 85g desiccated coconut
  • 50g blanched hazelnuts or shelled peanuts or other nuts
  • 50g sunflower, sesame or pumpkin seeds
  • 100g light muscovado sugar
  • 125ml golden syrup
  • 100g butter , chopped up
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PER SERVING

190 kcalories, protein 2.0g, carbohydrate 22.0g, fat 11.0 g, saturated fat 6.0g, fibre 2.0g, sugar 11.0g, salt 0.26 g

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