Frosted Orange Date Bars Food

FROSTED ORANGE DATE BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 10x15 inch jellyroll pan.
• In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, 1/2 cup butter, water and dates. Cook, stirring frequently until dates have softened and the mixture is well blended. Remove from heat. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into the date mixture, then mix in the 1/4 cup orange juice, milk, eggs and 1 tablespoon orange zest. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. To make the frosting, combine the confectioners' sugar, 1/3 cup butter, cream cheese and orange zest. Beat until smooth. Gradually mix in the remaining orange juice a tablespoon at a time until the icing is spreadable. Spread over the bars when cool. Cut into squares.

FROSTED FRUITCAKE BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Line baking sheet with parchment or grease. In a large bowl, cream together shortening and sugar; add egg, orange zest, and juice. Mix well. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add to creamed ingredients. Stir in raisins, candied fruit and nuts. Shape dough into a strip roughly 7x12 (mine was more like 5x12) and bake for 12 minutes. Remove from oven; cool slightly, then frost with glaze while warm. Sprinkle with colored sugar if desired. Cut into strips.
• Glaze: Whisk together all ingredients until smooth.
• Makes about 20, once you've eaten away the scraps.

ORANGE DATE BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, then grease a 15"x10" baking pan.
• In a saucepan, combine dates, brown sugar, water & butter, then bring to boil, reduce heat & simmer 5 minutes or until dates are softened, stirring occasionally.
• Remove from heat & stir in chocolate chips.
• In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, milk & orange juice.
• In another mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda & salt, then ALTERNATELY add this dry mixture AND the orange juice mixture to the date mixture, mixing well after each addition.
• Stir in the walnuts, then pour into the prepared baking pan.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from oven & let cool on a wire rack.
• For the glaze, in a mixing bowl, combine powdered sugar, butter & orange zest, then stir in milk a little at a time until glaze reaches desired consistency. Spread over the cooled base before cutting.into bars.

GLAZED ORANGE DATE SQUARES

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine the dates, sugar, water and butter. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until dates are softened. Remove from heat; stir in chocolate chips. , Beat eggs, milk and orange juice. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; add to date mixture alternately with orange juice mixture, mixing well after each addition. Stir in walnuts. Pour into a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. , Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool. Combine confectioners' sugar, butter and orange zest; stir in milk until glaze reaches desired consistency. Spread over bars.

ORANGE-DATE BARS

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine dates, sugar, oil and juice. Cook for 5 minutes to soften dates. Cool. Add egg; mix well. Combine all remaining ingredients and stir into date mixture. , Spread into a greased 8-in. square baking pan. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes. Cool before cutting.