Moms Date Squares Food

DATE SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-by-8-by-2-inch baking pan, and set aside. In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, and baking soda. Add butter, and blend with your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Transfer two-thirds of the crumb mixture into prepared pan, and press into bottom and up sides. Spread date paste over bottom layer of the dough. Cover with remaining crumb mixture.
• Bake until golden brown, about 35 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Invert onto a plate, then back onto a cutting board. Cut into 2-inch squares. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

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.

MOM'S DATE SQUARES

Steps:

• Filling:.
• Combine all ingredients and simmer until thickened (don't burn) Set aside and cool.
• Base:.
• Lightly grease a 9x9-inch pan.
• Sift and mix together flour and soda.
• Combine sugar and oats to flour mixture.
• Work in butter with fingertips.
• Pat 1/2 of the mixture onto bottom of pan.
• Spread filling on patted mixture.
• Put remaining mixture on top of filling and pat lightly. Bake in 375°F oven for 45 minutes.
• Cut when cool.

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.

ANITA'S MOM'S DATE SQUARES

Steps:

• First, make filling.
• In a heavy saucepan, combine dates, sugar, water, orange juice and grated orange rind.
• Cover pot and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until dates are tender and all the liquid is absorbed; this will take 15 to 20 minutes.
• Let mixture cool.
• Preheat oven to 375F; lightly grease a 9-inch square cake pan and set aside.
• To make crust, stir together flours, soda and oats.
• In a mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar together, then add in the flour mixture and stir until crumbly and moist.
• Pat two-thirds of the mixture into the prepared pan, then spread cooled filling evenly over this base.
• Sprinkle with remaining flour mixture, evenly over entire surface, and then pat in lightly.
• Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the edges just begin to turn golden.
• Let cool slightly before cutting into bars or squares.