Date Squares Canadian Recipe For Date Bars

CANADIAN DATE SQUARES

Steps:

• Combine dates, 1 TBSP brown sugar, and water in small saucepan.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cook, stirring often, until dates are soft enough to be mashed with a fork.
• Set aside.
• In mixer bowl, blend flour, baking soda, and salt.
• Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Stir in brown sugar and oats.
• Do not over mix.
• Mixture should stay crumbly.
• Press half of crumb mixture over bottom of lightly buttered 8x8-inch pan to form bottom crust.
• Gently spread date filling over bottom crust.
• Sprinkle remaining oat mixture over date filling.
• Lightly pat with palm of hand to even out.
• Bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees.
• Cool completely and cut into squares.

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.