Elaine’s Date Squares |
Ingredients
Filling:
- 2 cups Packed pitted dates (10 oz/300g) 500 mL
- 2 tbsp Packed light brown sugar 25 mL
- 1 cup Water 250 mL
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice 15 mL
- 1 tsp Vanilla 5 mL
Topping and Base:
- 2 cups Rolled oats (preferably not instant) 500 mL
- 1 cup All purpose flour 250 mL
- 1 cup Packed brown sugar 250 mL
- 1 tsp Baking soda 5 mL
- 1/4 tsp Cinnamon (optional) 1 mL
- Pinch Salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened 1 mL
Directions
Filling: In heavy bottomed saucepan, combine dates and sugar and 1 cup (250 mL) water. Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer, stirring and mashing dates slightly, for 20 minutes or until thick and jam-like. Stir in lemon juice and vanilla. Set aside to cool.
Preheat oven to 350F (180oC). Lightly grease 8-inch (2L) or 9-inch (2.5L) square baking pan or line with parchment paper.
In large bowl combine oats, flour, sugar, soda, cinnamon (if using) and salt. Add butter, crumbling with fingertips until crumbly and well blended. Pat half of mixture into bottom of prepared pan. Spread date filling evenly over. Sprinkle remaining oat mixture evenly over top.
Bake in centre of oven for about 30 minutes or until topping is golden brown. Cool completely in pan on rack. Cut into bars. Makes 16 squares.
- Variation: Replace water with orange juice and 1 tbsp (15 mL) grated orange rind.
- Variation: Blueberry Squares. Omit date filling. In saucepan, combine 3 cups (750 mL) fresh or frozen blueberries, 1/2 cup (125 mL) granulated sugar and 1/4 cup (50 mL) fresh orange juice to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes or until tender. Whisk together 4 tsp (20 mL) cornstarch and 2 tbsp (25 mL) fresh orange juice; whisk into blueberry mixture. Bring mixture to boil and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until thickened. Cool completely; proceed as with recipe above.
Courtesy Gay Lea Foods
