While I was still pregnant I was browsing Facebook and one post caught my attention. It was a comment about a past tradition catching up with their Mum each week with a date slice that was missed since they had moved to another state. Finally finding the date slice in their new home had brought back memories of these catch-ups. It got me thinking about how certain foods are more than just something we eat. They can evoke feelings and memories in us.
This left me craving date slice, so I went looking for a recipe to make some. Dates seem to be one of those ingredients that people either love or hate, I am definitely in the love category. They are very sweet however and I can only eat a small amount.
This slice is quite easy to make and as long as you like dates, it’s pretty tasty. If I make it again I might try putting some citrus zest in with the dates and/or some spices in the base/crumble mix for something different, but it was delicious as is and satisfied my craving.
Date crumble slice
Makes 12 – 16 (depending on how big you cut the slices)
Ingredients
- 2 cups dried pitted dates – chopped
- 1 cup water
- 185g butter – chopped
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/3 cups plain flour
- ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 1 cup of rolled oats (note – originally recipe states 1 ½ cups but I found one cup more than enough)
Method
- Preheat the oven to 160C fan-forced (180C with no fan) and line a 20cm by 30cm slice pan with baking paper (you want it to be at least a few centimetres deep).
- Place the dates and water into a small – medium saucepan and place over a medium-low heat. Cook for 10 – 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the dates have broken down and absorbed the liquid.
- Using the beater attachment of a stand mixer, or an electric hand mix, cream together the butter and brown sugar in a medium sized bowl until light and fluffy. Sift in the flour and bicarbonate of soda and stir until combined, then add the oats and mix well. I found it easiest to use my hands to combine the mix at this stage.
- Press half to two thirds of the dough mix into the base of the prepared pan (original recipe stated half but I found I needed more). Make sure the base is even (I like to use some extra baking paper over the top for a final smooth down with my hands so it is all even).
- Spread the date mixture evenly over the base before crumbling the rest of the dough mixture on top to cover the dates. Press the crumble mixture in gently to keep it in place.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 35 – 40 minutes or until golden. Cut into slices and serve either warm or cold.
Note – you could also try using this recipe with other toppings such as apples and/or rhubarb (just cook to soften with only a touch of water or citrus juice and a little sugar), or fresh or frozen berries (no need to precook this, just add them straight on top of the base).
For other similar recipes (with different base/crumble ingredients) see:
Adapted from: taste.com.au Date Crumble Slice
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