Do-It-Your-Way Date Bars
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Do-It-Your-Way Date Bars
I love date bars that have a thick, satisfyingly buttery crust, lots of rich date flavor, and a sweet but spicy streusel on top… but I've been looking for the perfect recipe for years without much luck. I've finally come up with something a little untraditional, combining a recipe from Bon Appetit (from one of my friends) for candied ginger-cardamom bars and a date bar recipe from Uprisings (a whole grain baking book). The really wonderful thing about this recipe is that although it's very tasty and satisfying straight, you can add other fruits and spices to make your own favorite date bars. So have fun experimenting!
Yield: 9-16 servings
- Crust:
- 1
-
½
c sugar (Sucanat works well; brown sugar would also be good)
- ½
- 1
-
(optional spices: cardamom, ginger, nutmeg, or cloves; whatever works for you)
-
1
stick unsalted butter, room temperature
-
¼
c finely chopped crystallized ginger OR chopped nuts (up to you)
- Filling:
- 2
-
(OR 1 c dates and 1 c other fruit, chopped)
- ½
-
(optional: 1 tsp vanilla or a few drops of real almond extract)
- Streusel:
- ¼
-
2
T sugar (maple sugar is excellent, brown sugar would be good)
-
Assorted spices (follow what you used in the base)
-
(optional: 2 T candied ginger bits or nuts or...)
-
1
T melted butter or canola oil
Preheat oven to 350 F.
To make the crust, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, and spices. Blend in butter with a pastry cutter until small lumps form. Add ginger or nuts if using, then work the dough so that it starts to stick together. Press into a greased 9" square baking dish. Set aside.
To make the filling, place the dates (and other fruit, if using) and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, then simmer for 10–15 minutes. Allow to cool; then add flavor extract if using. Pour on top of crust and spread to the sides.
To make the streusel, mix the oats, sugar, spices, and any added items. Pour in the butter or oil and toss with your fingertips to mix. Sprinkle over the fruit filling.
Bake for 35 minutes until date filling is well set. Remove from oven and allow to cool before cutting into squares or bars.
Variations:
Strawberry-Date Bars: Add crystallized ginger to the base. Replace 1 c dates with 1 c strawberries for the filling and add a few drops of almond extract. Add candied ginger to the streusel.
Blueberry-Date Bars: Add 1 tsp cardamom and the crystallized ginger to the base. Replace 1 c dates with 1 c blueberries for the filling and add a few drops of almond extract. Add candied ginger to the streusel.
Apple- or Pear-Date Bars: Add cardamom or nutmeg to the base; apples or pears to the filling, plus vanilla extract; cinnamon and other spices, plus nuts, to the streusel.
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