Serves:24 bars
Also known as matrimonial squares, these taste quite different from what you normally think of as date squares.
>Ingredients:
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3 cups (500 g) chopped, pitted Dates |
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1 C. Water |
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1 cup granulated sugar or billington's milled golden cane sugar a great alternative to regular white sugar |
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1/3 cup fresh lemon juice |
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3/4 tsp baking soda |
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3/4 tsp salt |
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zest of 1 lemon - very finely chopped |
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3 cups quick cooking rolled oats |
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2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour |
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1 3/4 cups packed demerara sugar or billington's dark brown molasses sugar - my childhood favourite (outstanding on hot oatmeal) |
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1 3/4 cups (14oz) unsalted butter - melted |
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3 ounces 151 proof demerara rum |
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1 tsp cinnamon |
Method:Combine Dates, white sugar and water in a sucepan and boil for 5 minutes or until mixture mounds. Stir often to dissolve dates and prevent burning. Add lemom juice and rum (for those concerned about alcohol, add the rum right at the start. The alcohol will boil off) then cool to room temperature. Combine the oats, flour, demerara sugar, soda, lemon zest, cinnamon and salt. Mix well then add the melted butter, again mixing well. Spread 1/2 oat mixture in the bottom of a 13X9 inch pan, pressing down firmly. Cover this with the cooled date mixture, spread evenly. Top with the remaining oat mixture, press down and bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes. Place on a rack to cool before cutting into squares or removing from pan. Can be served warm with home made ice cream...yummy! |