Canadian Date Squares Food

DATE SQUARES

Steps:

• Simmer dates in orange juice and cinnamon for 30 minutes, or until thickened, stirring occasionally. (be careful not to scorch mixture if it gets too thick)
• Combine flour, salt and brown sugar and cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Stir in coconut, nuts and oats.
• Press half of dough mixture into bottom of 9 x 13 inch pyrex baking dish. Pat dough flat with a sheet of wax paper on hand.
• Spread date mixture to within a half inch of edges.
• Top with remaining dough and flatten lightly with wax paper on hand.
• Bake in a preheated 375 degrees F (190C) oven for 45 minutes, or until golden.
• Let cool in pan and cut into 24 bars (4 long strips cut by 6 shorter strips).

DATE SQUARES - CANADIAN RECIPE FOR DATE BARS

Steps:

• Chop the dates up a bit and add them to the pot with water or orange juice, butter, sugar, and spices, a pinch of salt, and bring everything to a boil on medium heat. Zest the lemon and juice it. Grate the lemon zest straight into the measured out sugar you are going to use for the crumble crust. Rub it in using your fingers so that the peel lets go of its oil and the sugar gets all aromatic and lemony.
• Add lemon juice to the date filling and continue to boil the date filling until nice and thick. Watch if well so that it doesn't burn or stick to the pan. Transfer to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Let cool.
• Preheat the oven to 356 F (180C). Line a (23 x 33 cm) baking tin with baking paper.
• Add all dry ingredients for the crust to a bowl. Grate the ice-cold butter right into the dry ingredients using a box grater. Rub everything together quickly to form streusel.
• Add half of the streusel dough to the pan and press down and into the edges to form a crust. Spread date filling on top. Sprinkle remaining streusel on top. Gently press down to compact the top crust a bit. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until the streusels are golden brown. Should the topping brown too quickly, cover with some aluminum foil.
• Let cool down completely before cutting into squares.

DATE SQUARES

Steps:

• For the date filling: Combine the dates, water, sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice in a medium saucepan, stirring often, until thick and smooth, about ten minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• In a mixing bowl cream butter, then cream in sugar.
• In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt.
• Blend flour mixture into the butter mixture, then blend in the rolled outs.
• Grease a square Pyrex baking dish 8x8 inches/2L (I use a square baking pan of the same size).
• Put half the rolled oats mixture evenly over the bottom. Spread the cooled dates over the base. Then add the remaining rolled oats mixture over the dates.
• Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until nice and brown.
• Cool in pan. Cut into squares or bars.
• It can be frozen, but in my house it's usually gone within the next few days.

GRAMMA'S DATE SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a large bowl, combine oats, pastry flour, salt, 1 cup brown sugar, and baking soda. Mix in the butter until crumbly. Press half of the mixture into the bottom of a 9 inch square baking pan.
• In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the dates, water, and 1/3 cup brown sugar. Bring to a boil, and cook until thickened. Stir in lemon juice, and remove from heat. Spread the filling over the base, and pat the remaining crumb mixture on top.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in preheated oven, or until top is lightly toasted. Cool before cutting into squares.

CANADA SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Line bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper; crease corners well.
• Whisk together 1 cup flour and 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar; cut in 1/2 cup butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Pat mixture evenly into prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes; remove to cool on a wire rack, about 15 minutes. Top base evenly with raspberry jam.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Beat white sugar and 1/2 cup butter together until fluffy; beat in eggs until fluffy and pale yellow. Beat rice flour into egg mixture until well combined; stir in food coloring until batter reaches desired shade of red. Spread batter evenly over jam layer.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool completely in the pan; about 20 minutes.
• Beat 2 cups confectioners' sugar and 1/3 cup butter together in a bowl with an electric mixer until smooth; stir in milk and maple extract. Spread icing evenly over cooled bars.
• Hold edges of parchment paper; lift squares out of pan to a cutting board. Slice into 1-inch squares with a very sharp knife.

EASY DATE SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Date Jam
• Combine dates, sugar, water and vanilla in saucepan and bring to a boil.
• Simmer 5 minutes, until mixture resembles a thick paste.
• Cool completely
• Oatmeal Layer
• Combine flour, oats, sugar, nuts and salt in mixing bowl.
• Cut in butter.
• Reserve 2 cups of this mixture for topping.
• Press remaining mixture into bottom of greased 9 x 9" pan.
• Spread cooled date jam over the bottom layer and sprinkle reserved oatmeal mixture evenly over top.
• Bake 25- 33 minute.
• Cool completely then cut into squares.