Date squares Recipe

Ingredients

For the date filling:

For the crust and crumble:

Tips

To make sure your date squares have a firm, solid base to them, it is very important to really stamp down and press the crumble mixture into the base of the pan so that it forms a tight, even layer.
Thanks to our families of organic and lactose free products, you can make a completely lactose free or organic version of this recipe. Just use the same amounts and substitute the butter for one from these other lines.

	PREP TIME 10m	COOK TIME 50m	TOTAL TIME 1h
YIELD 16 date squares

In a medium saucepan, heat the dates and water on low to slowly soften the dates.
Cook the mixture for about 10 to 15 minutes, stirring every so often. The dates will absorb all the water and form a chunky, soft paste. Let cool.
Transfer the date paste to a food processor. Add the vanilla and then process the mixture into a smooth paste. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. To prepare the crust and crumble
Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Butter a 9” x 9” brownie pan and then line the bottom with a square of parchment paper. Set aside.
In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together the oats, light brown sugar, flour, salt and cinnamon. Drop in the cold butter and pulse to form a crumble.
Take two-thirds of the mixture (roughly ? lb. or 600 grams) and press it evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan with your hands or a flat-bottomed glass baking dish to create a very firm base.
Smooth the date filling over top, from edge to edge. Evenly sprinkle the last third of the crumble mixture on top of the date filling. Press it gently into the date layer.
Bake the date squares for about 40 minutes, until the edges are golden brown. Let the squares cool completely in the pan. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and chill overnight in the refrigerator. Once thoroughly chilled, cut into 16 squares to serve.