Versatile Oaty Apple Traybake

My 6yo has had a growth spurt and I needed to get her some new clothes due to deficiencies in the hand me down process, her older sisters wore 7yo size clothing in the summer and it certainly isn't summer here in the UK at the moment.

I took the opportunity to check out the clothing sale in the local supermarket hoping for some clothing bargains for 6yo and whilst there managed to pick up some heavily discounted fruit.  I purchased a large pack of fresh blueberries for 80p, 1kg of apples for 50p and 1kg of pears for 60p.

Some of the fruit will of course be eaten fresh but I decided to use some in baked treats for after school and lunchbox snacks.  I baked this slice twice today, once with apples and blueberries, and the second time with pears and some dried fruit.  Both went down very well with my friend who popped in for a cuppa before the school run, my daughters, the hairdressers (my girls had a hair cut booked for after school today), and my husband.  In fact, there is only about 1/3 of each traybake left.

150g butter, softened
150g light soft brown sugar
50g rolled oats
2 medium free range eggs
200g self raising flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 apples or pears unpeeled, cored and finely chopped
50g or about a large handful of dried fruit or blueberries

Preheat your oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas Mark 4.  Line a swiss roll/traybake tin with non-stick baking paper.  Mine measures 23cm x 30cm/9 inches x 12 inches.

Cream the butter and sugar until they are light and fluffy.  Add the eggs, oats, flour and cinnamon.  Gently mix until thoroughly combined.  Finally fold through the fruit.

Bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until golden and a skewer inserted in to the centre comes out clean.  Leave to cool completely in the tin.

I am entering this into the Credit Crunch Munch blog challenge run jointly by Helen from Fuss Free Flavours and Camilla from Fab Food for All.