Fig and Orange Crumb Bars

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×9 pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine flours, baking powder, and salt. Add butter and pulse until pea-sized crumbs form.

In a separate bowl, whisk brown sugar, egg, and vanilla. Pour flour mixture into the brown sugar mixture and mix. If you find that a rubber spatula or spoon isn’t cutting it, get in there with your hands. There should still be pieces of butter visible.

Press ⅔ of the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. (You’ll need the food processor again so you may want to wash that out now.)

To make the fig-orange layer, combine dried figs, sugar, orange and lemon juices, and zest in the bowl of your food processor. Pulse or puree until a thick paste form.

Spread the fig-orange paste over the top of the bottom layer. You may need to wet your hands and use them to spread it all the way to the edge. Crumble the remaining butter/flour mixture on top of the figs and press down slightly.

Bake for 40–45 minutes or until the top is lightly browned. Remove from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack. Allow them to cool completely before you try to slice. Your patience will be rewarded. You can pop them in the fridge for a while if you need to.

Lift the cooled bars out of the pan using the overhang on the sides. Cut into squares.

Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.