Easy date squares
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
10 mins
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Servings
36 squares
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Calories
128 kcal
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Course
Dessert
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Cuisine
International
Easy date squares
Description
Easy date squares bring together a simple blend of butter, chopped dates, sugar, egg, and plain biscuits to create a baked bar with contrasting textures. The butter gently melts and softens the chopped dates, which are cooked until breaking apart. Incorporating roughly chopped digestive biscuits — not finely ground — adds crunchy chunks throughout. After mixing the cooled date mixture with whisked egg and sugar, the batter is poured into a parchment-lined pan and baked until set.
The result is a rich yet tender bar with a pleasantly sticky date center and crisp biscuit pieces, offering a balance between chewiness and crunch. These squares can be cut into hand-sized portions, suitable for snacks or light desserts. They keep well and slice cleanly when cooled, thanks to the parchment overhang in the baking pan.
To enhance texture, biscuits should be broken into small chunks roughly the size of candies rather than crushed to a powder. The recipe advises not to chop dates too finely and to avoid pulverizing biscuits, preserving desired chewiness and crunch throughout. The egg added after cooling prevents scrambling and binds the ingredients gently.
Ingredients
- 250 gram butter
- 500 gram dates roughly chopped
- 1 egg
- 100 grams white sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 200 gram digestive biscuits or any plain biscuits
Instructions
- Line a 20cm x 20cm (8" x 8") baking tin with parchment paper, leaving a slight overhang. The overhang will make it easier to lift the block of date squares from the tin once it's set.
- Place the butter in a large saucepan and gently melt it over medium heat.
- Once the butter has melted, add the roughly chopped dates to the pan.
- Using a spatula, stir the mixture until the dates soften and begin to break up. This process typically takes around 5 minutes.You can help this process by gently 'squishing' the dates with a spatula as you stir. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the pan throughout. If it seems like there's an excess of liquid butter at this stage, don't worry, it will get fully incorporated later in the process.
- Once done, take the mixture off the heat and let it cool for around 10 minutes. You don't have to wait for it to cool down to room temperature, just make sure it's not intensely hot. This is to avoid the egg from scrambling once we add it in.
- Whisk the egg together with the sugar and salt in a small bowl.
- After the 10 minutes, add the egg mixture to the dates and immediately stir it in, making sure to incorporate it quickly.
- Put the saucepan back on medium-low heat and gently warm the mixture for 2-3 minutes to cook the egg. Keep moving the mixture and fold as much of the butter into the dates as possible, then, remove it from the heat.
- In a large bowl, break the biscuits into small pieces by hand. Don't crush it too finely, you want some larger chunks.
- Add the warm date mixture to the crushed biscuits.
- Using a sturdy, large spoon, like a serving spoon, combine the date mixture with the crushed biscuits.
- Scoop the mixture into the prepared tin.
- Using your sturdy spoon, push the mixture into all the corners and level the top with the back of the spoon.
- Place the pan of date squares in the fridge for a minimum of 3 hours to set.
- Lift the whole slab out of the tin and transfer it onto a cutting board. Slice it into individual squares.
- Optional: You can sprinkle the squares with desiccated coconut. It goes really well with the dates!
Notes
- Cut dates into halves rather than finely chopping for better texture.
- Break biscuits into chunks about the size of M&Ms for crunch, avoid powder-like crumbs.
- Avoid using a food processor on biscuits to prevent turning them into powder.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 36squares
Amount Per Serving
Calories 128 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 128kcal | 6% |
| Carbohydrates | 18g | 6% |
| Protein | 1g | 2% |
| Fat | 6g | 9% |
| Saturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 19mg | 6% |
| Sodium | 76mg | 3% |
| Potassium | 104mg | 2% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 14g | 28% |
| Vitamin A | 182IU | 4% |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 12mg | 1% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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