Flapjack’s Date Bars

  • 250ml water
  • 200g (stoned weight) chopped dates
  • 175g plain flour
  • 0.5tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 175g soft light brown sugar
  • 100g porridge oats
  • 175g diced butter
  • Pinch of salt

200mm x 200mm cake tin

  1. Line the cake tin with grease proof paper.
  2. Place water and chopped dates in medium saucepan and bring to simmer. Cook for about 10min uncovered on a low heat until the date mixture is very soft and thick by stirring and prodding. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
  3. Sift flour, bicarb, sugar and salt into large mixing bowl. Add the oats and butter and using fingers rub it all together into moist little clumps like the top of a crumble pie.
  4. Firmly press half of the mixture into the bottom of the cake tin smoothing over with the back of a spoon. Spread the date mixture evenly over this, then sprinkle the remaining oat mixture over this and flatten gently with back of fingers.
  5. Bake in pre heated oven at 180 C for approx 40 mins or until golden brown on top.
  6. Allow to cool and cut into bars. Can be frozen.