This date slice recipe sandwiches a thick paste of dates, coffee, vanilla and cinnamon between an oaty wholemeal base and a crumbly topping. And it cuts into 8 generous slices of roughly 450 calories, taking about 2½ hours, though most of that is cooling.
The coffee is the surprise here, because a splash of it in the filling lifts the vanilla without you really noticing it. And salt goes into both layers, since the original says it really boosts the flavour, and I find it stops them tasting over-sweet.
I find squeezing the topping into clumps before scattering it is what gives date slices their craggy, crunchy lid. Then pressing the clumps down lightly helps fix them to the dates, so the top holds together when you cut it.
Date Slice Recipe (UK): Oaty Date and Oat Slices
Description
Butter is rubbed into two flours before the oats and sugar go in, then half is bound with egg yolk and pressed into a tin. Meanwhile chopped dates simmer with coffee, vanilla and cinnamon into a paste, which is spread over and scattered with the rest of the crumble. And it’s adapted from Brilliant Bakes by Si King and Dave Myers.
Ingredients
For the base and topping
For the date filling
Instructions
- Get ready: Heat the oven to 170°C/Fan 150°C/Gas 3½ and line a 20 to 21cm square baking tin with baking parchment.
- Make the crumble: Mix both flours, the baking powder and a good pinch of salt in a bowl, then rub in the butter until it looks like breadcrumbs. Then stir in the oats and sugar and divide the mixture in half.
- Press in the base: Mix the egg yolk into one half and press it evenly into the lined tin, keeping the other half for the top.
- Cook the dates: Put the dates in a saucepan with the coffee, vanilla, cinnamon, a generous pinch of salt and the water. Then heat, stirring regularly and breaking up the dates with the edge of a spoon, until you have a thick paste. Take the pan off the heat and leave to cool.
- Add the topping: Spread the cooled date paste over the base. Then squeeze handfuls of the remaining crumble together, break them into clumps and scatter evenly, pressing down lightly.
- Bake and slice: Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown, then leave to cool in the tin. Once cool, lift it out and cut into 8 slices.
FAQs
Why do you put coffee in date slices?
It’s a flavour booster rather than a coffee hit, since the original says you don’t notice it but it gives the vanilla extra oomph. And it’s only 50ml of freshly brewed coffee for 350g of dates, so I’d use a splash of whatever black coffee you’ve brewed that morning.
Are date slices healthy?
The original reckons they’re quite good for you, because the wholemeal flour, oats and dates bring a good dose of fibre. But there’s still 150g of butter and 75g of added sugar, so at about 450 calories a slice I’d call them a treat.
If you’d rather something gingery, this soft, syrupy parkin also cuts into 8 slices, at about 275 calories.
Why does only the base get an egg yolk?
The original doesn’t say why, but the yolk binds the bottom into a firmer biscuit that holds the soft dates, while the top stays crumbly. So I’d press the base in firmly and evenly, but leave the topping as rough clumps.
What size tin do you need?
A 20 to 21cm square tin, lined with baking parchment, gives the right depth for 8 slices. And if you want smaller pieces for a tea tray, I’d cut the same tin into 16 bars at about 225 calories each.
For another old-fashioned bake for the same tea tray, try these craggy rock cakes with glacé cherries.
How do you get the date filling thick enough?
Keep the pan over the heat and keep stirring, breaking up the dates with the edge of a spoon until they collapse. Then let it cool fully before spreading, since I find warm paste melts the butter in the crumble. And if soggy fruit fillings worry you, this rhubarb crumble with cornflour solves soggy fruit in one spoonful.
