So fancy right!!
ha ha! I had the need to bake something yesterday and I just so happened to have a package of dates, an obscene amount of butter (as usual) sesame seeds and an orange in my fridge. It’s funny how you can make up a great recipe by just using what you have in your kitchen.
This is a layered bar which has a bunch of steps but are well worth it. They last for a couple of days. They are great warm of even cold. Served by themselves or with a scoop of ice cream.
Here is how I begin:
Make the crust:
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter at room tempurature
1/2 cup confectioner sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 orange zested
Directions:
Butter a square tin and then line it with parchment paper. You want the parchment paper to cover all the sides. The last thing you want is for your bar to stick to the sides.
Whisk together the flour, salt and sesame seeds in a bowl. In another bowl cream together the butter and icing sugar, then add in the orange zest and the vanilla extract. You want it to look fluffy and light. Then add in the flour in 2 batches. It wont really come together. Pour the batter into the pan and with floured hands press the dough down evenly. This is when it will come together. From the heat of your hand and also from the pressure you put on it, it will form into a nice base. Place in the fridge for an hour.
Bake a 350 degrees for 20 minutes until lightly golden and then take out.
Date filling:
2 cups of dates
5 tablespoons honey
2 cups water
1 teaspoon orange blossom water (optional)
pinch of salt
3 tablespoons whisky
Directions:
Place all the dates, honey, water, salt and whisky in a pot and bring to a boil, turn heat down to low and let simmer until the dates have broken apart and you have a thick paste. Add in the orange blossom water. Let this cool a bit and then spread the paste all over the crust.
Sesame crumble topping
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sesame seeds
pinch of salt
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
Directions:
In a blender mix together the flour, salt, sugar and sesame seeds add the cold butter in and blend until it is all combined and it looks like wet sand.
To assemble:
Spread the date mixture over the crust and then sprinkle the crumble on top. Bake at 350 dregrees f for 20 minutes until it is golden. Take out of the oven, let cool and then cut into squares.
You can make this recipe in so many different ways. You can substitute the dates with cherries or prunes and you can also mix spices in to the crust or the crumb add any nut you want. Just play around with it and have fun! 🙂
