Family dinners Meal prep Party foodvegetarian

Classic Canadian Date Squares

Name: Classic Canadian Date Squares
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: Canadian
Ingredients: 350g pitted dried dates, chopped; 240ml water; 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract; 180g rolled porridge oats; 130g plain flour; 150g light brown soft sugar; 1/2 tsp baking powder; 1/4 tsp salt; 225g cold unsalted butter, cubed

Buttery, golden rolled-oat crumble sandwiched around a rich, sticky vanilla date filling.

45 min serves 12 Easy Watch

Ingredients

350g pitted dried dates, chopped500g

240ml watertap

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract38ml

180g rolled porridge oats1kg

130g plain flour1.5kg

150g light brown soft sugar500g

1/2 tsp baking powder170g

1/4 tsp salt750g

225g cold unsalted butter, cubed250g

Method

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease an 8-inch (20 cm) square baking pan.
To make the date filing: Combine the dates and water in a medium saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently, stirring occasionally until the mixture thickens, around 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and let cool. Set aside.
Combine rolled oats, flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a food processor. Pulse 3 times (careful not to overmix, you don’t want the mixture to be powdery, just combined). Add butter and pulse again until the mixture is crumbly in pea-sized clumps. Transfer to a mixing bowl to thoroughly mix in the butter.
Spread half of the oat mixture on the bottom of the prepared baking pan, pressing down to make a flat, equal bottom later. Add the date mixture over the crust and then spread evenly. Layer with the remaining oat mixture and press down to flatten the top layer.
Bake in the centre of the oven until the top is golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan before cutting and serving. Date Squares keep well, covered in the refrigerator for up to a week, and frozen for 2 to 3 months.

Cost to cook

serves 12 · I have the cupboard staples

Mostly estimated prices. Full-pack shop cost · about £3.89 of it is what this recipe actually uses.

Find it in store

Search the ingredients at your stores:

Tesco Asda

£7.00 est. · serves 12

Method

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease an 8-inch (20 cm) square baking pan.

To make the date filing: Combine the dates and water in a medium saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently, stirring occasionally until the mixture thickens, around 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and let cool. Set aside.

Combine rolled oats, flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a food processor. Pulse 3 times (careful not to overmix, you don’t want the mixture to be powdery, just combined). Add butter and pulse again until the mixture is crumbly in pea-sized clumps. Transfer to a mixing bowl to thoroughly mix in the butter.

Spread half of the oat mixture on the bottom of the prepared baking pan, pressing down to make a flat, equal bottom later. Add the date mixture over the crust and then spread evenly. Layer with the remaining oat mixture and press down to flatten the top layer.

Bake in the centre of the oven until the top is golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan before cutting and serving. Date Squares keep well, covered in the refrigerator for up to a week, and frozen for 2 to 3 months.