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Some of you may have had this great energy snack. I learned of it at boundary waters MN in 2008.
This is a recipe for what the Sommers Canoe Base calls Hudson Bay Bread, or sometimes just Bay Bread. In the 1960's, the Base got the recipe from the Minnesota Outward Bound School, and for several years it was baked at the Barbara Ann Bakery in Ely. At the bakery, it was baked in a convection oven, so it is difficult to get exactly the same effect in a conventional oven. This recipe comes very close. One important technique left out of the Base's official instructions is that rolled oats should be used (not instant oats), and more importantly, they should be ground up. A blender works fine for about a cup at a time, and a food processor would probably work even better. Bay Bread is most excellent as lunchtime fare on canoe trips when you are burning thousands of calories each day. It is convenient, easy to pack, and is a concentrated food source that everyone seems to look forward to on the trail. When you see the ingredients, you will see why it does NOT make a very good "light snack" at home.
1 1/2 lbs. (3 cups) butter or margarine - soft
4 cups sugar
2/3 cup corn syrup (light Karo)
2/3 cup honey
2 tsp. maple flavoring (Mapleine)
Cream together the above ingredients. Gradually add:
1 1/2 cups sliced almonds
19 cups finely ground rolled oats (see above)
Press into cake pan or large sheet pan about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Bake at 325 degrees for about 20 minutes. Do not overcook, as it will get crispy and brittle. Take out of oven and use spatula to press down (keeps it from crumbling). Cut into exactly 3 1/2 inch squares. Package in plastic bags with as many as there are crew members (one each for lunch). If you measured correctly, they should just fit into 1/2 gallon paper milk cartons. They will be protected, easy to pack, and easy to find when you want to grab a quick lunch. Slather with massive quantities of peanut butter and jelly, and wash it down with some Red-Eye, and you will know you ate lunch!
Note: The above is a very slightly embellished version of the Canoe Base recipe, as provided by Craig Pendergraft and Dave Greenlee. Below Chuck Rose offers some variations that seem quite workable:
