Date Squares - Arlene's

By LyndaLee

Arlene says these are easy and really good.

Ingredients

• Date Filling:
• 1 lb (500 grams) dates, chopped
• 1 cup cold water
• 1 Orange, peel grated
• 4 tbls orange juice
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• Shortbread Base:
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats (not instant)

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Filling:
place dates, water and orange peel in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until mixture is thick and smooth. Remove from heat and add fruit juices; mix well. Set aside to cool.

Shortbread base:
Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a bowl. Rub butter into flour mixture with fingertips. Add sugar and oats and mix well. Spread half the crumbs in the bottom of a lightly greased shallow 9" square pan; pat to smooth. Cover with cooled date filling. Add remaining crumbs and pat to smooth.

Bake 30-35 minutes, then increase heat slightly for a few minutes to brown the top lightly. Cut in squares while hot and let cool in plan

Makes 16 squares.