Inspired by a favourite pudding growing up, apple and blackberry crumble, these cereal bars are seriously more-ish. The berry jam in the middle adds sweetness, flavour and vitamins. Perfect for a quick grab-and-go breakfast, or with a cup of tea in the afternoon. Plus, you can also use any leftover berry chia jam to top your porridge, toast or vegan coconut yoghurt in the morning.

Makes: 16

Prep: 1 hour 20 minutes

Cook: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

For the crumble:

280g rolled oats

180g Medjool dates, stoned

80ml maple syrup or use agave syrup

1 tsp ground cinnamon

60ml coconut oil

½ tsp vanilla extract

Splash of non-dairy milk (optional)

For the berry chia jam:

200g fresh or frozen berries

1 tbsp maple syrup

1 tbsp chia seeds

Grated zest and juice of 1⁄2 lemon

Optional:

Handful of mixed seeds

Method:

• Preheat oven to 180°C (fan). Grease a baking tray and line with baking parchment or a silicone sheet.
• Add all the crumble ingredients to a food processor and blitz until they come together to form a crumbly dough.
• Add two-thirds of the mixture to the baking tray and press down firmly with the back of a spoon to fill the tray. Leave to set in the refrigerator while you make the berry chia jam.
• Make the berry chia jam by adding all the ingredients to a saucepan over a medium heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes, mashing the berries as they soften, until slightly reduced. Don’t worry too much if the jam is still runny, as it will thicken up in the oven.
• Remove the baking tray from the refrigerator and pour over the jam. Top with the remaining crumble mixture. You can also add a sprinkle of seeds for added goodness and crunch.
• Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Once cooked, leave to cool in the baking tray for 5–10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack for about 1 hour, or until the crumble reaches room temperature before cutting into 16 bars.
• TIPS:
  - Make sure you leave the bars to cool completely before slicing as this will stop them from crumbling. Plus, the jam will set better
  - The bars can be stored in an airtight container in the cupboard for up to three days and in the fridge for a week. Or freeze and defrost the day before enjoying.
  
  Adapted from Make it Vegan (Quadrille)