Date & Fig Squares
Prep Time: 25 min
Bake Time: 25-30 min.
Temp: 350 degrees
Makes: 14-16 squares
Ingredients:
2c. of pitted dates
2c. of figs (black mission or Brown Turkey)
1/4c. of squeezed orange juice (1 full orange should come out to 1/4 cup).
3/4c. of water
3 tbsp. honey
1c. of A.P. Flour
1 c. of oats
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. of cinnamon
3/4c. of cold butter
1/2 tsp. salt
1 full zest of an orange
Directions: Prepare your 9 by 9in. square pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Clean and cut your figs into quarters. Put half on them in a medium saucepan with the pitted dates and save the rest for later. Add the orange juice, water and honey to the mixture. Your cooktop will need to be at a medium temperature. Allow the fruit to render down until it starts to thicken and stirring occasionally. (You may want to add a splash more of water if the fruit is not rendered enough). The fruit should look soft and opaque when its ready.
While the fruit is cooking down, you can work on your dry ingredients by adding your flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon to a mixing bowl, then add your cold butter and start incorporating the butter in with the dry ingredients. It should have a nice crumbly texture when you are finished..
Meanwhile…
As your pot of dates have rendered down, make sure you turn off the heat and move the pan to a cool surface. Use a hand mixer to blend the fruit together. It should look like jam when its blended. Add half of the orange zest and mix it in.
In your prepared 9 by 9-inch square pan add a bottom layer of the crumble mixture and press it down with the bottom of a small glass or measuring cup. Add the rendered down fruit jam over the bottom layer of crumble. With the rest of the quartered figs lay them over top of the jam like mixture, so the inside of the fruit is facing up. Sprinkle the rest of the orange zest over top.
Top with the rest of the crumble and spread it out evenly.
Pop it into your hot oven for 25-30 minutes or until the mixture starts to bubble and the top starts to brown. When it is ready take it out to cool for 20 minutes, then put it in the fridge for an hour, it will be easier to cut into squares. I cut them into 2 by 2 in. squares, which should give you 14-16 squares.
These squares, have a nice soft and chewy texture, with a nice crumbly coat with the taste of the oats, butter, brown sugar and hint of cinnamon. When you are biting into them you will notice not only the taste of the dates and fig but the flavor of orange in there too. Coffee time or snack time is good, especially if your sharing them with a friend! Enjoy!!
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