Spicy Date Bars
This recipe makes delicious bars with a layer of spiced date filling between oat-crumb layers. They are even better after a day in the fridge.
Ingredients
Serves: 20
- 1 1/2 cups chopped pitted dates
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 7/8 cup (220ml) water
- 2 cups (300g) quick-cooking oats
- 1/2 cup (90g) packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup (125g) plain flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon bicarb soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup butter
- 2 tablespoons water
Directions
Preparation:20min ›
Cook:25min ›
Ready in:45min
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Grease a 20x20cm pan. In a small saucepan, combine the dates, 1/4 cup brown sugar, orange zest, cloves, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, allspice, lemon juice and water. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until dates are soft and the mixture becomes a thick paste, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
- To make the crust and topping stir together the oats, 1/2 cup brown sugar, flour, baking powder, bicarb soda, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. Cut in butter using a pastry cutter or your fingers. Mixture should be coarse and crumbly. Stir in 2 tablespoons water until evenly distributed.
- Press about 2/3 of the crust mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Spread the date mixture evenly over the crust all the way to the edges. Sprinkle the remaining crust mixture over the date layer. Press down lightly.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven until the top is lightly toasted. Cool completely before cutting into bars.
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Reviews and Ratings
Global Ratings:
(44)
Reviews in English (41)
I came here to get a recipe for what we know as Date Squares (didn't realize it was a Canadian thing!). I do have a tried & true recipe but I was too lazy to dig it out. I have made it enough times to remember that this crust was the ingredients I liked. Some pointers from a Canadian: I always find the filling too sweet in these recipes. What I am used to is just the dates and the water(reduce to half a cup) and LEMON JUICE (extract is the best). This makes the date flavour smooth. Cook on the stove & mash with a fork until it becomes a paste. I like to use an 11 x 7 pan, spraying it with PAM. Use 3/5 of the crumb mix for the base and press it down tightly. I don't put it up the sides because the PAM prevents sticking and I get nicer squares.The date filling I take small scoops with the fork and start in corners to flatten it, then the middle, and use the remaining to fill it it. This prevents the bottom from coming up when you are trying to spread it. For the top I usually use my hand to crumble it evenly over the top, then press down firmly. When I take it out of the oven I quickly cut it (4 squares across & 6 down the top) and let it cool in the pan. Then when you are ready to serve them you recut. Freeze beautifully(however, I never seem to have enough left to freeze). Just some tips! - 17 Nov 2009 (Review from Allrecipes USA and Canada)
YUMMY, I REMEMBER DATE BARS AS A KID AND THEY WE NOT GOOD, THIS RECIPE HOWEVER IS WONDERFUL EVEN MY KIDS LIKE THEM, I FOLLOWED THE RECIPE EXACTLY EXCEPT I LEFT OUT THE ORANGE ZEST, AND I DID NOT HAVE LEMON JUICE SO I USED 1 1/2 TBS OF FRESH SQUEEZED ORANGE JUICE THEY ARE FANTASTIC. THANK YOU A KEEPER. - 11 Dec 2007 (Review from Allrecipes USA and Canada)
This recipe, especially the crust, is wonderful. For those in a hurry, you can also use Solo Brand date filling. I did and I got great reviews from my family. Though date filling from scratch is preferred, Solo is a quality pastry filling and it worked very well with this recipe. - 30 Oct 2011 (Review from Allrecipes USA and Canada)