A recent work trip to Switzerland provided the ideal opportunity to conduct some sideline research on something which the Swiss can fairly claim authority: muesli. I set out to try a different kind of bircher muesli every day, and very nearly succeeded: I was given some on the aeroplane, then I had some from the local bakery, a few different kinds from the corner supermarket, and some from the hotel breakfast bar too. All very tasty, but I can report that the highlights were one with stewed rhubarb, and another made with a strawberry yoghurt base.
Another branch of my muesli research centred on the muesli bar. This was something I had already been preoccupied with back home, in an attempt to find something tasty, easy to make and healthy for my son. Many of the supermarket-bought varieties here seem to contain about 1/3 of their weight in sugar, which is far from ideal. Unfortunately, my Swiss supermarket research yielded much the same results (except that they did also have my favourite flavour – pear!).
So when I returned I resolved to have another go at home-made. These turned out a tasty, chewy mix – which I loved and so far my son seems to take to as well – but I think the key to this recipe lies in your mixture of dried fruit. I used 1/3 dried apple, 1/3 turkish dried apricot, 1/3 dried figs, and the end result turned out to have a dominant apricot flavour. I guess the end result was only very vaguely Swiss, so maybe I should just try to hunt down some dried pear to make a healthy version of those delicious pear muesli bars…
Rustic Muesli-Bar-Bites
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup dessicated coconut
2 weetbix, crushed (or 1/2 cup wheatgerm)
1/2 cup wholemeal self-raising flour
400g mixed dried fruit, chopped (see notes above)
1/2 cup currants or sultanas
2 eggs
1/2 cup fruit juice
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup milk
Preheat oven to 180C, and line 2 trays (25cm x 17cm) with baking paper.
In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients, including the dried fruit. Stir to mix well.
In a small bowl, stir together the wet ingredients. (Don’t worry if the honey doesn’t mix through properly at this point.)
Tip the wet ingredients into the dry, and stir very well to mix through. Press the mixture into the baking trays, making the tops as smooth as you can.
Bake for 35-35 minutes, until the tops are just golden and the mixture has shrunken away slightly from the sides.
Cool in the tins until the bars are cool to the touch, then cut into whatever size bars or squares you like.
Yield: Depends on the size of your bars, but I got out 42 bites from a batch.
Crunchy Green Things 
25 Apr at 11:47 am
Cute! I’ve never added Weet Bix to my muesli bars and will have to try it.
A Zurich-dwelling friend once told me that the reason some Swiss birchers are so delicious is that they add cream as well as yoghurt – yum!
25 Apr at 3:10 pm
Mmmm this looks like a nice healthy recipe. Thanks for the post, I’ve put a star on it in my Reader to make soon 😀
26 Apr at 11:55 am
I have never tasted bircher muesli because the idea of soggy oats sounds too much like porridge – sigh – I guess I should try it!
These muesli bars look good – will be bookmarking
26 Apr at 8:42 pm
Cream, Cindy – well that would be something. Seems a bit different from the health-clinic origins of muesli though, isn’t it! But yummy indeed.
Thanks Esz – hope it works out well for.
Well Johanna, bircher muesli really is a kind of cold porridge – that makes it sound even worse! But somehow there’s something great about it, especially with the fresh fruit and nuts. give it a go, i say…
25 Jun at 3:43 am
I came here from Johanna’s link to you and I’m glad I did! These look and sound delicious. Saving the recipe!
26 Jun at 9:01 pm
thanks for visiting ashley! hope the muesli bars work out well for you if you try them. (ps I always enjoy checking what yummy baked goods you have written about on your site too!)