We recently had some friends experience a sad time. My husband invited them over for a meal but our friend was in a lot of physical pain and needed some space. I didn’t have a lot of time or the goods to cook up a meal, so I decided I would make this Date Nut Bar. Sometimes there are no words, but a gift made with love shows in a tangible way that you care and are thinking of them. I didn’t want it to be an over-the-top, indulgent slice. That felt somehow amiss, but I did want it to be fresh, tasty and comforting.
This Date Nut Bar is just that—the kind of thing you could eat with a hot cup of tea to restore your strength. The slices and meals given to us in the crazy days after giving birth to our four babies are etched in my memory. They bought strength to my sleep-deprived body, nourishing me as I recovered from labour and endlessly breastfed. I realise grief is different, but it is just as exhausting.
As well as comfort food, this Date Nut Bar can also double as a staple morning or afternoon tea snack. It’s not overly sweet or fancy but it does go down well with a hot beverage.
Enjoy!
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 6
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- ¾ cup self-raising flour
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup walnuts, chopped
- 2 cups finely chopped dates or raisins
- Beat eggs until foamy. Beat in sugar and vanilla.
- Sift dry ingredients together and stir into egg-sugar mixture.
- Mix in nuts and dates. Spread in well greased Biscuit Slice Tray.
- Bake at 325F/160C (slow oven) until top has a dull crust (around 25-35 minutes).
- Cut into squares while warm, cool, then remove from Biscuit Slice Tray.
- If desired, dip the top in icing sugar.
