Date, Apple, Orange and Hazelnut Squares

My endless quest for lunch-box sweet things has led me often in the direction of Date Squares in several incarnations because they taste delicious, can cope in varying temperatures and transport well.  Not only that – they keep for a few days in an airtight box and, if that’s not long enough, freeze beautifully.

Date Square 33

I make them year-round but they do ‘feel’ autumnal.

Date Square 16

Storecupboard good things, including that last tired apple in the fruit bowl.

Date Square 15

I start with the date-y mix as that needs to cool.  First the dates, chopped smallish.

Date Square 23

The zest of one orange.

Date Square 22

It irritates me when a recipe asks for the zest and leaves me with the juice.  A warm orange will give more juice than a cold one.  Cut the orange in half on a slight diagonal to make it easier to squeeze.

Date Square 17

I add water to the juice.

Date Square 14

An old fashioned box grater is the perfect tool for this.  Peel and core an apple and coarsely grate.

Date Square 12

Into a saucepan.

Date Square 11

Cook, uncovered, on a low-medium heat.

Date Square 7

Ten minutes later, the liquid has evaporated and it looks like this.  Set it aside to cool.

Date Square 9

I really like to add nuts to my topping.  Half a packet seems about right.  Hazelnuts here, but I might have used walnuts just as easily. Cobnuts are fun, when they’re in season.  I buy mine with skins on.  Toast for about 10 minutes.  You’ll need to keep an eye on them as burnt nuts taste bitter.

Date Square 10

Rub them in a clean tea towel and the skins come off.  Mostly.  I really don’t worry about what is left.

Date Square 4

Then chop.

Date Square 18

Plain flour, bicarbonate of soda, light brown sugar/light muscovado and rolled porridge oats.

Date Square 24

Rub in the butter until it forms clumps.

Date Square 26

It’s not a breadcrumb texture.

Date Square 20

Put half into the prepared 20cm/8″ square tin.

Date Square 28

Flatten out.

Date Square 30

Spread out the date mixture.

Date Square 31

Add the nuts to the remaining ‘half’ and place that on top of the date mixture.

Date Square 3

40 minutes later it looks like this.  Allow it to cool in the tin.

Date Square

Then cut into squares.

Eat.

 

Date Square 2Date, Apple, Orange and Hazelnut Squares – Makes 12

  • 150g/5oz dates, stoned weight, chopped
  • 1 orange, zest and juice
  • 1 apple – peeled, cored and grated
  • Water – to make orange juice up to 200ml/8fl oz
  • 175g/6oz plain flour
  • ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
  • 175g/6oz light muscovado sugar
  • 150g/5oz porridge oats
  • good pinch of salt
  • 175g/6oz unsalted butter
  • 50g/2oz hazelnuts

If using a conventional oven, pre-heat the oven to 180ºC/Gas Mark 4/350ºF.  Butter and line a 20cm/8″ x 20cm/8″ tin.

Place the dates, orange zest, orange juice, water and grated apple in a saucepan.  Over a low-medium heat, bring up to a simmer.  Cook, uncovered, for about ten minutes until you have a thick, soft mixture.  Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Toast the hazelnuts in the oven for about ten minutes, then rub the skins off in a clean tea towel.  Chop.

Sift the flour and bicarbonate into a bowl.  Add the porridge oats, light muscovado sugar, salt – and mix well.  Add the butter and rub it in until it forms clumps.

Press half the mixture into the buttered tin.  Spread the date and apple mixture over.  Finally, add the chopped nuts to the remaining oat mixture and sprinkle over the top.

Bake for approximately 40 minutes.

Allow to cool completely in the tin, then cut into squares.

Eat.

Print