Spiced Pecan Date Shortbread Bars Recipes

DATE PECAN BARS

Steps:

• To prepare filling, mix together dates, sugar and water in saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened (about 10 minutes). Allow to cool. Add pecans.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cream butter and brown sugar. Combine remaining ingredients and stir into butter mixture until well blended. Press half of the filling into a 9x13-inch glass baking dish. Spread with cooled filling. Cover with remaining filling mixture, patting lightly. Bake until lightly browned (approximately 25 to 30 minutes). Cool and cut into bars.

SPICED PECAN DATE SHORTBREAD BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Make the shortbread crust: Pulse flour, butter, confectioners' sugar and salt in a food processor until mixture looks like wet sand. (Alternatively, work the mixture with fingertips or a pastry cutter.)
• Press shortbread mixture into the bottom of a 9-by-9-inch square cake pan in an even layer. Bake crust for 20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool.
• Meanwhile, make the filling: In a medium saucepan, whisk together melted butter, eggs, molasses, golden syrup, cardamom, allspice, clove, nutmeg, salt, orange zest, rum and vanilla extract. Cook, stirring, over medium heat until mixture thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Stir in dates.
• Pour filling over prebaked crust, then sprinkle pecans over filling. Bake for 30 minutes, or until filling is no longer jiggly and seems set.
• Remove from oven and cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of pan to loosen cake, then invert pan over a cutting board to remove. Invert again and cool completely before cutting into bars approximately 1 1/2 by 3 inches.

DATE PECAN TEA BREAD

Steps:

• Place dates in a large bowl. Combine boiling water and baking soda; pour over dates. In a small bowl, combine the flour, cloves, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg; set aside. , In another large bowl, beat butter and sugar until crumbly. Beat in egg and vanilla. Add flour mixture alternately with date mixture. Stir in pecans. , Pour into a greased and floured 9x5-in. loaf pan. Bake at 350° for 65-75 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to wire rack to cool completely. , In a small bowl, combine spread ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Serve with bread.