Date Squares – the name might make you think of your Grandmother or potluck dinners but for me Date Squares are one of my favourite bar recipes. Dates have been cultivated since ancient times and date palms are one of the oldest fruits. Dates are also a very nutritious food as they contain iron, magnesium and calcium and are also very high in dietary fibre. Then add in oats and Date Squares have to be one of the most healthy desserts ever!
What makes this recipe for Dates Squares even better is that the dates are simmered in fresh orange juice and orange zest to make the fruit filling for the bar. For this version I used blood oranges and this gives a very sweet subtle orange flavour to the filling. You could use whatever type of orange you have, even mandarins or tangerines would work well.
The other great thing about Date Squares is that they transport well and are easy to eat on the go. You can make them ahead of time and freeze for later. So this is an awesome recipe to add to your repertoire as it is very versatile. In place of the date filling you can also substitute your favourite jam or jelly. Hope you enjoy!
- Date Filling
- Zest of 2 oranges
- Juice of 2 oranges
- Water to bring juice volume up to 1½ cup
- 1 lb (454 g) dried dates- roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp sugar
- Batter
- 1 cup butter, room temp
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1½ cup quick-cooking oats
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp baking soda
- Make filling:
- In a non-stick frying pan on low heat combine the chopped dates, liquid, zest and 2 tbsp sugar.
- Cook, stirring frequently until thickened and the dates have broken down. Let cool while making the batter.
- Preheat oven to 350 F and line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the brown sugar and butter.
- Add in the flour, oats, salt and baking soda. Mix on low speed just until it starts to come together in clumps.
- Reserve 1 cup of the crumble for the topping. Place the remaining into the lined pan and press firmly into an even layer.
- Spread the cooled date mixture on top, then sprinkle the reserved crumble evenly over the filling. Press lightly into the filling.
- Bake 25-30 minutes or until crumble is just brown. Let cool a minimum of 30 minutes before cutting into squares.
- Store at room temperature.