Crumb Topped Date Bars Recipes

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.

DATE BARS

Steps:

• In 2-quart saucepan, cook filling ingredients over low heat about 10 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened. Cool 5 minutes.
• Heat oven to 400°F. Grease bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan with shortening.
• In large bowl, stir brown sugar and butter until well mixed. Stir in flour, oats, baking soda and salt until crumbly. Press half of the crumb mixture evenly in bottom of pan. Spread with filling. Top with remaining crumb mixture; press lightly.
• Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until light brown. Cool 5 minutes in pan on cooling rack. Cut into 6 rows by 6 rows while warm.

DATE BARS

Steps:

• Combine the flour, soda, salt, oats, oleo, and sugar into a crumb-like mixture; spread 1/2 of mixture in a greased 13x9 pan.
• Combine the filling ingredients together, except the vanilla.
• Cook this mixture until thick.
• Cool. Now add the vanilla.
• Spread on crumb crust, put the other 1/2 of the oat mixture on top of the date mixture.
• Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes.

CRUMB-TOPPED DATE BARS

Steps:

• In a saucepan, bring the dates, sugar, water and lemon juice to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat; cool. , Press half of the cookie dough into a greased 9-in. square baking pan. Spread with date mixture. Crumble remaining dough over filling. Bake at 375° for 25-30 minutes or until top is golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

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.

DATE CRUMBLE BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, then grease & line (with parchment) a 7"x11" cake pan.
• Combine the dates & orange juice in a saucepan & bring to a boil before turning the heat down to low ~ Cover the saucepan & simmer gently for 5 minutes to soften the dates.
• Remove from the heat & mash the date mixture until smooth, then set aside to cool.
• In a mixing bowl, beat together the butter & sugar, then stir in the oats & flour to form a crumbly mixture.
• Press half of this mixture into the base of the prepared pan to form a smooth base, then use a fork to prick the base all over.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden.
• Spread the date paste over the cooked base & sprinkle the remaining crumbly mixture over that as a topping.
• Return to the oven & bake for another 30 minutes or until lightly golden.
• Remove from the oven, cut into 12 bars & allow to cool in the pan on a wire rack.
• Great served either warm or cold.

DATE SQUARES - CANADIAN RECIPE FOR DATE BARS

Steps:

• Chop the dates up a bit and add them to the pot with water or orange juice, butter, sugar, and spices, a pinch of salt, and bring everything to a boil on medium heat. Zest the lemon and juice it. Grate the lemon zest straight into the measured out sugar you are going to use for the crumble crust. Rub it in using your fingers so that the peel lets go of its oil and the sugar gets all aromatic and lemony.
• Add lemon juice to the date filling and continue to boil the date filling until nice and thick. Watch if well so that it doesn't burn or stick to the pan. Transfer to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Let cool.
• Preheat the oven to 356 F (180C). Line a (23 x 33 cm) baking tin with baking paper.
• Add all dry ingredients for the crust to a bowl. Grate the ice-cold butter right into the dry ingredients using a box grater. Rub everything together quickly to form streusel.
• Add half of the streusel dough to the pan and press down and into the edges to form a crust. Spread date filling on top. Sprinkle remaining streusel on top. Gently press down to compact the top crust a bit. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until the streusels are golden brown. Should the topping brown too quickly, cover with some aluminum foil.
• Let cool down completely before cutting into squares.

CRUMB-TOPPED PRUNE BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°.To make filling, cook and stir prunes and orange juice in a small saucepan over medium heat until mixture boils. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 5 minutes or until prunes are very soft. Stir in 1/4 cup sugar. Remove from heat.Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla, then walnuts. Cool to room temperature.To make crust, stir sour cream and 1 teaspoon vanilla in a large mixer bowl until blended. Add flour, butter, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt. At low speed, beat until butter is in fine pieces and mixture is crumbly. Set 1 cup of the mixture aside.Press remaining crumb mixture in an ungreased 8- or 9-inch square baking pan. Carefully spread filling over crust. Sprinkle reserved crumb mixture over the top, pressing down lightly.Bake 25 to 30 minutes until top is golden brown. Cool pan on a wire rack.Chill 30 minutes, then cut into bars with a sharp knife. Store in a loosely covered container in a cool place.