Chocolate Chip Date Nut Bars Food

CHOCOLATE CHIP DATE NUT BARS

Steps:

• Soak dates in warm water for 10 minutes to soften, longer if dates seem dry. Remove dates and reserve liquid. (See Note 1 below.)
• Add nuts to food processor and process until nuts are small pieces.
• Pour chopped nuts into a bowl and mix with cocoa, salt, and chocolate chips. Set aside.
• Add dates to food processor and process until it is a paste.
• Add date paste to the nut mixture and mix well.
• If mixture is too dry and isn't sticking together, add reserved date liquid, 1 teaspoon at a time, mixing well after each addition until everything just begins to stick together. (See Note 2 below.)
• Using the back of a spoon, press date nut mixture firmly into a parchment lined 8x8 pan or loaf pan, spreading evenly and to the edges.
• Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before cutting into bars.
• Store bars in the refrigerator. (See Note 3 below.)

OLD-FASHIONED DATE BAR RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Prepare a 9 x 13" baking pan by spraying with cooking spray and/or lightly but thoroughly flouring the bottom (if needed - my pan doesn't need this).
• In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt until thoroughly combined.
• In a second medium bowl, combine sugar and butter until butter is completely incorporated into the sugar. The mixture will be crumbly, similar to wet sand. (I find it's easiest to do this with my hands, rubbing the butter into the sugar with my fingers, but you can also use an electric mixer.) Add eggs, water, and vanilla, and stir until thoroughly combined. Add the dates and walnuts and stir again to distribute evenly.
• Lightly dump the dry ingredients (flour mixture) over top of the wet ingredients (sugar mixture) and stir just until thoroughly combined. The dough will be very thick and sticky.
• Using a rubber scraper, spread the dough into the pan, pushing it and flattening it until it's an even thickness (dough will only thinly cover the entire pan).
• Bake for about 20-22 minutes, until lightly golden brown.
• Let cool completely in the pan on a cooling rack before cutting. Cut into 39 sticks that are 1 inch wide and 3 inches long.
• Place at least 1/4 cup of powdered sugar in a wide bowl. Roll each bar in the sugar to coat, tapping gently to remove any excess, loose sugar. (You should actually use only about 1 tablespoon of the sugar to thinly coat the bars, but it makes it much easier to work with them if there is plenty of extra sugar in the bowl. You can discard the excess.)

MOIST CHOCOLATE CHIP DATE CAKE

Steps:

• Place dates and 1 teaspoon baking soda in a large bowl. Stir in boiling water; cool completely. , In another large bowl, cream shortening and 1 cup sugar. Beat in egg. Combine the flour, salt and remaining baking soda; add to creamed mixture alternately with date mixture., Pour into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Sprinkle with remaining sugar; top with chocolate chips and nuts. , Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

CHOCOLATE NUT BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, beat butter until fluffy. Add the flour, sugar and salt; beat just until crumbly. Set aside 1 cup for topping. Press remaining crumb mixture into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Bake 10-12 minutes or until set and edges begin to brown., Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine milk and 1-1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips. Cook and stir until chips are melted. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla. Spread mixture over crust., Combine the nuts and milk chocolate chips with the remaining semisweet chocolate chips and crumb mixture. Sprinkle over filling. Bake 15-20 minutes or until center is set. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

CHOCOLATE CHIP NUT BARS

Steps:

• Stir together flour and brown sugar.
• Cut in cold butter until crumbly.
• Stir in 1/2 cup chocolate chips.
• Press the crumb mixture on the bottom of an ungreased 13x9" pan.
• Bake 15 minutes at 350°F While this is baking, combine condensed milk, beaten egg and vanilla in a large bowl.
• Stir in remaining 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips and nuts.
• Spread evenly over baked crust.
• Bake 25 minutes or until golden brown.
• Cool and cut into bars (quite rich, so make them small!).

CHEWY CHOCOLATE CHIP-NUT BARS

Steps:

• Set oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease a 13 x 9-inch baking dish.
• In a bowl cream together butter with sugar and 1/2 cup brown sugar until light and fluffy (about 4 minutes).
• Add in water, maple extract and 2 egg yolks (reserve the whites in another bowl) beat for 2-3 minutes.
• Mix together the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder and cinnamon (if using) then add to the creamed mixture; mix until combined.
• Spread the batter into the prepared baking dish.
• Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top of the batter.
• Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form, then add in in 1/2 cup brown sugar; blend well.
• Spread the egg white mixture over the top of the chocolate chips.
• Sprinkle the top with chopped nuts.
• Bake for about 35 minutes or until the meringue is light brown.
• Cut the bars while still hot.

DATE NUT BARS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the sugar, flour, baking powder, salt, dates and nuts. Add the eggs, butter and vanilla; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened (batter will be very stiff). , Spread in a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool bars on a wire rack. Dust with confectioners' sugar. ,