Toronto-Add flavour to tea time or put a delicious surprise in someone’s day with these moist and tender treats. They’re easy to make and packed with warm spices, sweet fruit filling, and topped with a classic brown sugar crumble for a homey touch.
YIELD: 15 bars
PREP TIME: 20 minutes
BAKE TIME: 30 to 40 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
For the base and topping:
1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
1 cup (88 g) large flaked oats
⅔ cup (145 g) Redpath® Dark Brown Sugar, packed
1 tsp (5 g) baking powder
1 tsp (3 g) ground cinnamon
½ tsp (3 g) salt
⅔ cup (151 g) butter, melted and cooled
1 egg, lightly beaten
For the date filling:
2 cups (310 g) pitted dates, roughly chopped
1 cup (250 ml) unsweetened apple cider (or unsweetened apple juice)
2 tbsp (28 g) butter, cubed
2 tbsp (27 g) Redpath® Dark Brown Sugar, packed
½ tsp (1 g) ground cardamom (or 3 to 4 green cardamom pods; see Chef’s Tips)
¼ tsp (2 g) salt
2 tsp (10 ml) pure vanilla extract
½ tsp (2 g) baking soda
For the apple filling:
2 cups (252 g) Granny Smith and/or Honeycrisp apples, peeled, cored, and cubed (between ¼- to ½-inch pieces)
1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice
2 tbsp (27 g) Redpath® Dark Brown Sugar, packed
2 tbsp (16 g) all-purpose flour
½ tsp (2 g) ground cinnamon
¼ tsp (2 g) salt
EQUIPMENT:
8-inch square baking pan (preferably metal)
Parchment paper
Scale OR dry measuring cups
Liquid measuring cup
Measuring spoons
Large bowl x 2
Whisk
Handheld mixer OR large spatula OR wooden spoon
Medium heavy-bottomed saucepan
Heatproof spatula
Small bowl
Fork OR small whisk
Offset spatula OR spoon
Wire cooling rack
Cutting board
Serrated knife OR chef’s knife
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease and line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two facing sides of the pan for easy unmoulding.
For the base and topping:
- In a large bowl, add flour, oats, the Redpath® Dark Brown Sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Whisk to combine thoroughly.
- Add in the melted butter and lightly beaten egg. With a handheld mixer (or with a spatula/wooden spoon), mix on low speed until it forms a moist but crumbly dough. The dough should look like wet, clumpy sand.
- Place ⅔ of the dough (about 420 grams) into the bottom of the prepared pan. Press firmly to create the base of the bars.
For the date filling:
- In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, add the chopped dates, unsweetened apple cider/juice, butter, the Redpath® Dark Brown Sugar, cardamom, and salt. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
- Stir in vanilla extract and baking soda. Reduce heat to medium-low, simmer, and stir until the dates have fallen apart and mixture is quite thick; 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
For the apple filling:
- In a large bowl, toss the cubed apples with lemon juice to coat them.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the Redpath® Dark Brown Sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt until well combined.
- Sprinkle the dry ingredients over the apples. Toss to coat the apples with the mixture evenly.
To assemble:
- Evenly spread the date filling over the base using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.
- Sprinkle the apples over the date filling. Gently pat down to form an even layer. Squeeze the remaining dough into clumps, breaking any larger clumps apart, and scatter the clumps evenly over the apples to create the crumble topping. Place into the preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes.
- Rotate pan and reduce heat to 350°F (177°C). Bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes or until the top is a deep golden brown colour. Remove and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
- Using the parchment paper overhang, lift the cooled bars from the pan to a cutting board. With a sharp serrated knife or chef’s knife, cut into 15 bars.
- Store leftovers layered between parchment in an airtight container for up to 5 days or in the fridge for up to a week.
CHEF’S TIPS:
*Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature before proceeding with the recipe.
*With a mortar and pestle, crush cardamom pods. Remove and discard the green husks. Finely crush the cardamom seeds. Alternatively, place cardamom pods on a cutting board and crush with the bottom of a heavy pot or skillet. Remove and discard the green husks. Finely crush the cardamom seeds by grinding the seeds with the bottom of the pot.
*When cutting the apples, ensure they are all about the same size to encourage even cooking.
*Water, orange juice, coffee, or a combination of a non-alcoholic liquid and a liquor (e.g. brandy, rum, whisky) can be used in place of the unsweetened apple cider or apple juice.
*Redpath® Golden Yellow Sugar can be substituted for the Redpath® Dark Brown Sugar. The resulting bars may be slightly lighter in colour and have a more subtle caramel undertone.
*Serve warm as is or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.