Grans Date Bars Food

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.

BEST DATE BARS

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine dates, sugar and water. Cook, stirring frequently, until very thick. Stir in walnuts, if desired; cool. , Sift the flour, salt and baking soda together in a large bowl; add oats and brown sugar. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle water over mixture; stir lightly. Pat half into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Spread with date mixture; cover with remaining oat mixture and pat lightly. , Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

DATE BARS

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, combine the chopped dates and water. Over medium low heat, bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Add the sugar and lemon juice and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Bring back up to a boil and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
• Thoroughly butter a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with 2 inch sides and line the base of it with parchment paper.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Mix together well with a wooden spoon, then drizzle in the melted butter and stir to moisten evenly. Spread 1/2 of this crumb mixture in the base of the pan, then cover with an even layer of the cooled date mixture. Top the date layer with another layer of the crumb mixture and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the top is golden and bubbly, and the edges have begun to caramelize. Cool on a rack, to room temperature. Run a knife around the inside edge of the pan to release, and cut into 12 squares.

GRAN'S DATE BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bring dates and water to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat; simmer and stir until thick, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla extract.
• Combine oats, flour, brown sugar, walnuts, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl. Add melted butter; mix until blended.
• Pour 2/3 of the oat mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish, pressing over the bottom and sides. Spread the date mixture over the oats; crumble remaining oat mixture evenly on top. Press down lightly.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden, about 25 minutes.

DATE BARS II

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x9 inch square pan. In a small saucepan, combine the dates, 1/4 cup brown sugar, orange zest, cloves, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, allspice, lemon juice and water. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until dates are soft and the mixture becomes a thick paste, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
• To make the crust and topping, stir together the oats, 1/2 cup brown sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. Cut in butter using a pastry cutter or your fingers. Mixture should be coarse and crumbly. Stir in 2 tablespoons water until evenly distributed. Press about 2/3 of the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Spread the date mixture evenly over the crust all the way to the edges. Sprinkle the remaining crust mixture over the date layer. Press down lightly.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until the top is lightly toasted. Cool completely before cutting into bars.