Chinese Chews Recipe Date Nut Bars

CHINESE CHEWS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300° F. Grease and flour an 8 x 12-inch pan - if you use a smaller pan, the baking time will be longer. Note: If you grease the pan, but don't flour it, the squares will stick to the pan and be difficult to remove after baking.
• Combine flour, sugar (not confectioners sugar), baking powder and salt. Sift with a sifter or fine mesh sieve into a medium sized mixing bowl. If you don't have a sifter, whisk dry ingredients together well to combine.
• Stir the dates, nuts and well-beaten eggs (I beat the eggs separately with a hand mixer for about 1 minute until fluffy before adding them), into the dry ingredients. It is not necessary to beat the eggs with a mixer, you can beat them by hand with a fork. Make sure ingredients are well combined - the batter will be sticky.
• Spread the batter out as thinly as possible into the prepared pan.
• Bake for 30 minutes, or until top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the pan comes out clean.
• Let cool completely, and cut into 1 to 1 1/2-inch squares. Note: Many recipes call for cutting the squares while still warm. In my experience, they are much easier to cut after they've cooled.
• Sprinkle with powdered sugar, using sifter or sieve, as desired. Links: The Hunt for "Chinese Chews" Chinese Chews from She Wears Many Hats

DATE-AND-WALNUT BARS

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 325, and line a 13-by-18-inch sheet pan with parchment paper. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl until well mixed and no lumps remain. Tip about 1/2 cup of the flour mixture into a medium bowl; add the dates, and toss well to coat, breaking up the dates as you go. Set aside.
• In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter with both sugars just until smoothly incorporated, about 2 minutes on medium speed. Add the eggs in 3 batches, mixing well each time and scraping down the sides of the bowl and the paddle between additions.
• Add the flour mixture and date mixture, and mix gently on low just until incorporated. Remove the bowl from the mixer, and use a spatula to fold in the walnuts. Transfer the mixture to the parchment-lined sheet pan, and use an offset spatula to spread it in an even layer, pushing it into the edges and corners and smoothing the surface. Bake until brown and set, about 45 minutes.
• Cool completely in the pan, then remove and cut into squares. Serve right away, or store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

CHEWY DATE NUT BARS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine cake mix and brown sugar. Add butter and eggs; beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. Combine dates and walnuts; stir into batter (batter will be stiff). , Spread into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 35-45 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife around sides of pan to loosen; cool completely before cutting.

DATE AND NUT BARS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, pour boiling water over dates, and set aside to cool. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease a 10x10 inch baking pan.
• In a medium bowl, cream together the shortening and white sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add the dates, including any water; mix well. Sift together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking soda; stir into the date mixture. Then stir in the nuts.
• Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared 10x10 inch pan, and bake for 45 minutes in the preheated oven. When cool, cut into bars, and roll each bar in confectioners' sugar.

DATE NUT BARS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the sugar, flour, baking powder, salt, dates and nuts. Add the eggs, butter and vanilla; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened (batter will be very stiff). , Spread in a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool bars on a wire rack. Dust with confectioners' sugar. ,

CHINESE CHEWS I

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
• Mix dry ingredients except confectioner's sugar. Add nuts and dates.
• Then add eggs which have been lightly beaten. Mix well.
• Press mixture into ungreased cookie sheet as thin as possible. Bake for 15-20 minutes.
• Cut into 1 -2 inch squares while hot. Roll into balls as soon as the squares are cool enough to handle then roll in confectioner's sugar. Allow to cool completely before eating.