If you have a long list of foods to avoid, like myself, I implore you to make this recipe.  This recipe is sweet, glorious, manna from heaven. A slice of proof that we can (and should) eat as deliciously as everyone else. This recipe can be done in stages if needed. Day 1, make, cover and refrigerate the filling, and do the same for the dough. Day 2, assemble and bake. Enjoy!

Yield: About 16 bars - if you want to make a really big batch of thin fig bars, you can use a jelly roll pan. If you go this route, you need two batches of filling and 3 batches of crust. This worked out perfectly for my baking sheet which is about 17"x11" and 1" deep.

• 8 oz dried Turkish or Calimyrna Figs, I used the Made In Nature brand
  • cut off the stems and quarter the figs
• 2 cups unsweetened 100% Juice, Apple Juice
• Pinch of Sea Salt
• 2 tsp rum
• 3/4 cup Gluten-Free Flour Blend (be sure to use one that does not contain gums or leavening)
• 1/2 cup Gluten-Free Teff Flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • * look for one without cornstarch if needed
  • reduce by 25% if cooking at high altitude
• 1 tsp xanthan gum
• 1 tsp guar gum
• 4 Tbs Earth Balance Natural Spread (room temp)
  • look for the soy-free version in the red package if needed
  • * if you need to be corn-free, sub for your favorite fat to bake with
• 2 Tbs Spectrum Naturals Organic Shortening (room temp)
• 3/4 cup Light Brown Sugar, lightly packed
  • pack a little lighter if cooking at high altitude
• 1 Tbs flaxseed, ground into powder and blended with 3 Tbs of hot water until a thick gel forms (set aside to cool)
• 2 tsp Vanilla extract (be sure the brand you use is gf and that you are not using imitation vanilla)

• Prepare the oven and the pan:
  • preheat the oven to 350 (or 370 if baking at high altitude)
  • be sure the oven rack is in the center of the oven
  • line a square baking pan with foil
    • you will use the foil to lift the bars out of the pan, so be sure to leave tails of foil hanging over the edge
  • very lightly oil the foil
• Make the Dough:
  • measure the flours, gums and baking powder into a medium sized mixing bowl
  • Using a whisk, stir the ingredients until blended together
  • set aside
  • measure the earth balance, shortening and brown sugar into a mixing bowl and mix until creamy
  • reduce the speed of the mixer and add the flaxseed gel and vanilla, then increase the speed and continue mixing until incorporated
  • reduce the speed to the lowest setting and start spooning the flour mixture into the fat and sugar mixture
  • after all of the flour is added, increase the speed to medium and mix just until all the flour is incorporated
  • press all but 3/4 of the dough into the prepared baking pan
    • if you are making a big sheet of bars (as mentioned in the "Yield" section above), simply put 1/2 the batch in the sheet pan and press it out evenly until the pan is covered.
    • cover and set the pan aside in a cold space (the fridge, garage, outside, etc.) until you are ready to add the filling
  • roll the rest of the dough between sheets of saran wrap, to the size of your baking sheet (might need to roll out in two pieces)
    • keep the dough covered and set the rolled out dough in a flat, cold space
• Make the fig filling:
  • pour the apple juice, quartered figs and the pinch of sea salt, into a medium sauce pot and simmer over medium heat
    • cook the figs and juice, stirring everyone so often, until the figs are butter soft and the juice is a bit thickened
    • this takes about 40 minutes here at high altitude (which takes longer than cooking at sea level)
  • after the figs are ready, turn the heat off and set aside to cool
  • pour the figs and liquid (all of the liquid) into a food processor
  • add the rum and process until smooth and thick
    • note that the fig seeds will still be whole
    • dip a clean spoon into the processed mixture and give it a taste (just for fun). So Yummy, right?
    • cover and set aside, or put it in the fridge if making ahead, or steal a bit and spread it on a bite of gf biscuits
• Assembly:
  • grab the baking sheet with the dough pressed into the bottom and fill it with the fig "jam"
  • carefully place the rolled out dough on top (Be sure to remove the plastic because that would be gross. To eat plastic.)
  • very gently press the top dough into the filling
    • the dough is much easier to handle if it is cold and stiff
• Bake:
  • Put the pan in the oven and bake until the top is dry and golden, rotating the pan half way through the baking time
    • full baking time is about 35 minutes for me (at high altitude)
  • Let cool COMPLETELY, 2 - 3 hours
  • using the foil "tails", lift the bars out of the pan and cut into bite sized squares
    • 1" squares work really well for kids and cocktail parties