- 32
- 30 mins
- 50 mins
Ingredients
- 1 cup chopped, pitted dates, packed
- boiling water
- 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 cup raspberries (thawed, if from frozen)
Preparation
Step 1
Place dates in medium bowl and cover with boiling water; set aside to soak.
Beat butter and sugar together in standing mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, then vanilla and salt. With mixer speed on low, gradually incorporate flour; beat until fully combined.
Divide dough between two floured parchment paper sheets at least 14″ long; refrigerate 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drain dates in a fine sieve, then puree in a food processor or blender along with raspberries to make the filling.
Remove first half of dough from the fridge. Dust top with flour and top with another equal-sized sheet of parchment paper. Roll out between parchment sheets into a rectangle 12×6″. Use a sharp knife to cut in score the dough in half both lengthwise and crosswise. Set aside and repeat with second half of dough.
Use a small spoon to divide the filling along the inner edge of each of the long strips of dough, leaving about a ¼” inside border (as pictured). Use a floured bench scraper or metal spatula to fold dough over filling. If filling is too soft to handle, put it in the fridge for a minute to firm up (but not too long or it’ll be too stiff to fold and start to crack – if this happens just let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes then try again. Even if it cracks, it’s ok. Repeat with second half of dough. Slice evenly crosswise to make a double strip of bars (the two batches yield grand total 32 bars).
Slide the first double strip of bars, parchment and all, onto a rimless baking sheet and bake about 20 minutes, until golden on the bottom and firmed up on top. Repeat with second batch. (Or bake both at the same time, rotating sheets between oven racks halfway through baking). Transfer to wire racks to cool.