Petals, this recipe started life as raisin squares. But it works just as well with chopped dates:
Raisin Squares
filling:
3 cups raisins (or chopped dates)
1 1/2 cups water
1 cinnamon stick
3 tbls lemon juice
1/4 cup arrowroot
2 tbls water
crust:
3 cups rolled oats
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 tsp sea salt
2 sticks butter, cut in small pieces
1 cup barley malt
To make filling: In a 2-quart saucepan combine raisins, water, cinnamon stick & lemon juice. Cover and cook over low heat for 10 minutes.
Discard cinnamon stick. In blender puree raisins & return to saucepan. Add dissolved arrowroot & cook over high heat, stirring, until thickened and clear. Set aside.
To make crust: Place oats, flour and salt in a large bowl. Cut butter into mixture until crumbly. Stir in barley malt until well mixed and a soft dough forms. Divide in half.
Roll pastry out between waxed paper to fit cake pan. Remove top paper. Invert dough into pan and peel off paper. Press dough into all corners of pan and press down edges. Spread filling evenly over crust, smoothing with a spatula.
Break remaining dough between fingers until crumbly. Sprinkle over filling, covering completely. Press down lightly. Bake at 375F, 35-40 minutes.
If that won't do, try:
Date Sandwich Bars
1 cup dates, snipped
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp orange peel
1 tbls orange juice
1/2 tsp lemon juice
3/4 cups flour
3/4 cups oatmeal
1 tbls brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
6 tbls butter
Have dates at room temperature. Slice thin and break up in pan. Combine dates, water, peel, and juices. Blend well. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about ten minutes. Cool.
Measure flour into bowl. Add remaining ingredients except butter. Stir to blend. Cut in butter until particules are the size of peas. Bresh with the back of fork.
Spread half the crumb mixture into a greased 8 x 8 pan. Press down. Spread cooled date filling evenly. Cover with remaining crumbs. Pat lightly.
Bake at 375F until golden, 25-30 minutes.
