Date Maple Slice

This did come out of mum's handwritten cookery book - but it's a magazine cutout (perhaps from the 70s) and sorry I don't know which magazine for attribution - here's the recipe:

2 cups chopped dried dates
2/3 cup water
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
125 (4oz) butter
1/2 cupe castor sugar
1 egg
1 3/4 cup wholemeal plain flour
1/2 cup self raising flour
1 tablespoon milk
2 teaspoons raw sugar

Grease a 23cm (9") square cake pan.

Combine dates, water, syrup and rind in a saucepan. Bring to boil, simmer, uncovered for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all liquid has been absorbed; cool.

Beat butter, castor sugar and eggs in a small bowl with an electric mixer until well combined. (Mixture may look to have curdled but will come together when the dry ingredients are added.) Stir in sifed flours; press mixture together.

Roll 2/3 of dough between sheets of greaseproof paper until large enough to cover bse of pan. Spread filling over base. Roll remaining dough between sheets of greaseproof paper until 3mm (1/8") in thickness. Cut dough into 2cm (3/4") wide strips. Arrange ina lattice pattern over the filling.

Brush top of slice with milk, and sprinkle with raw sugar.

Cook in a moderately hot oven 190C (375F) for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to moderate oven 180C (350F) and cook for a further 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool in the pan before cutting.

Date Delight

185g butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups self raising flour
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 cup dates
grated rind of a lemon

Mix all the dry ingredients together.

Add melted butter and honey and mix well.

Add eggs.

Press into greased slice tin (cooking times based on 11" x 7" approximately).

Bake in a moderate oven for 25 minutes until brown.

Notes: (1) lemon icing complements the ginger and date (2) if preferred replace ground ginger with ground cinnamon

Dad's Favourite Date Slice

1 cup chopped dates
1 cup coconut
1 cup self raising flour
1/2 cup sugar
125 g (4oz) butter
1 egg

Add melted butter to sifted flour and other dry ingredients. Mix well. Add lightly beaten egg. Press into greased tin and bake for around 20 minutes in a slow oven. (mum's slow varies - i'd say this should be from experience moderate to slow around 140C - time will depend on the size of the tin)

Cut into fingers when cold.

Date Crunchies

There are a wealth of recipes we grew up on as kids in mum's old hand written cook books. I don't remember anything being bought from supermarkets or shops. Everything was made at home. Here's another of those family recipes to share with you.

8oz (250g) flour
12oz (375g) dates
4oz (125g) rolled oats
6oz (190g) sugar
5oz (160g) butter
grated lemon rind
2 - 3 teaspoons water

Heat chopped dates, rind and water until soft. Pour melted butter over the flour, sugar and rolled oats mix.

Spread half the oats mixtured in greased slice tin and press down firmly. Spread the softened date mixture over the bsed. Sprinkle the rest of the oats mixture over the top.

Bake in a moderate oven for 1 hour. Wait until quite cold before cutting into fingers.