Decadent Vegan Date Squares Food

DARK CHOCOLATE-WALNUT DATE BAR

Steps:

• Brush a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with oil and line with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on long sides.
• In a food processor, pulse 1 1/2 cups walnuts, dates, peanut butter, vanilla, and kosher salt until finely chopped and mixture holds together. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and lightly knead to pack together; pat into an 8-inch square. Refrigerate until firm, 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt chocolate with oil. Halve nut mixture and press one part into loaf pan. Drizzle with half of chocolate. Refrigerate until chocolate just begins to set, 10 minutes.
• Press in remaining nut mixture and spread with remaining chocolate. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup walnuts and flaky salt. Refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours. To serve, let stand at room temperature 10 minutes, then remove from pan using parchment before slicing.

VEGAN DATE SQUARES (DATE CRUMBLE SLICE)

Steps:

• Option 1: Soak the dates in a large bowl, fully submerged in water, until soft (at least 4 hours, but overnight is best). Once soaked, drain away the soaking liquid and puree your dates in a food processor. I like a mostly smooth texture with a few smaller pieces of date throughout, but puree to your desired consistency.
• Option 2: If you don't have a food processor or time to wait for dry dates to soak, you can cook the dates in a small pot. This waters down the flavor of the dates, but you may enjoy a slightly less sweet filling anyway.For this option, add dates to a pot with water. Cook over low heat until the dates are soft and you can mash with a fork (press dates into the side of the pot to mash). This option also creates a more textured filling because the dates won't be pureed.
• To make the crumble, add rolled oats, lightly packed brown sugar and whole wheat flour. Stir until well combined.
• Add vegan butter or margarine to the dry mixture and use a fork or your hand to mix the butter throughout, creating a crumbly mixture.
• Grease a 9x13" baking dish (with extra vegan butter/ margarine or cooking spray).
• Pour about ⅔ of the crumble mixture into the bottom of your baking dish and press down firmly, creating an evenly packed layer.
• Spread the dates evenly over your pressed crumble. It's best to scoop small amounts of date puree all over the base layer to make it easier to spread.
• Sprinkle the remaining crumble mixture over your layer of dates and lightly press down.
• Bake in an oven preheated to 350 °F for 30-35 minutes, until the top is slightly golden brown and the bottom is fully golden brown (if you have a glass baking dish you can look at the bottom).
• Cool completely before you slice into squares or slices and serve at room temperature.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days on the counter or a week in the fridge. You can also freeze this recipe.

GINGER - DATE SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Butter a 9" square pan.
• Chop the nuts, ginger and dates.
• Set them aside.
• Beat the eggs.
• Beat in the sugar and the melted butter.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
• Add the dates and nuts to the flour.
• Mix in the wet ingredients.
• It will seem like there is a great deal of dates and nuts, and very little batter.
• Don't worry, it will work out.
• Spread evenly in the prepared 9" pan.
• Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes, until done.
• Remove and let cool in the pan.
• Heat the butter, milk and brown sugar until dissolved.
• Beat in the icing sugar and the vanilla.
• Spread the icing over the cake.
• Cut it into squares, and remove them from the pan.

DECADENT (VEGAN!) DATE SQUARES

Steps:

• For the date filling, combine dates, water, and vanilla in a small saucepan and simmer until liquid is absorbed (approx. 15 minutes). Set aside to cool slightly.
• For the crust, in a large bowl, stir together rice flour, tapioca flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
• Add in canola oil and apple sauce and stir until well mixed.
• Pat oat mixture evenly into a lightly oiled 8x8 baking pan.
• Spoon date mixture evenly over the oat mixture.
• For the topping, in a small bowl, combine oats, rice flour, sugar and apple sauce and stir until it is a crumbly consistency.
• Sprinkle topping mixture over the date layer evenly.
• Bake at 350F for 20 - 25 minutes.