Here you have a very simple date square on which the crust is made partially with ginger snaps cookies. It's amazing how well the ginger, dates, and apples go together. The apple butter is not your usual apple sauce. It still looks pretty much like butter, because it is in fact butter flavored with a reduced green apple syrup. Spread some over your date square, toast, or pancakes — it's divine. Enjoy!
Ginger Crunch Date Square
• 500g dates, pitted and chopped • 1 cup water • 2 tablespoons lemon juice • 1 tablespoon sugar • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 150g ginger nut cookies • 1 cup rolled oats • 1/2 cup whole wheat flour • 1/2 cup sugar • 3/4 cup (175g) butter, softened
Pre-heat oven to 350°F. In a medium saucepan, bring to a boil the dates, water, lemon juice, and sugar. Add the baking soda, simmer and stir for 5 minutes. Set aside.
Process the ginger cookies in a food processor until roughly ground. In a large bowl, mix the grounded cookies, oats, flour, sugar and butter until combined.
Line a 8"-9" square pan with parchement. Press half the ginger crunch mixture in the pan, layer with the dattes, and finish with the rest of the ginger crunch. Bake for 45-50 minutes until the top is lightly golden. Leave to cool for a few hours.
Green Apple Butter
• 2 green apples, peeled and chopped • 1/4 cup sugar • 1/4 cup water • 4 tablespoons (60g) butter, softened • 1/4 cup icing sugar
In a small saucepan, bring the apples, sugar, and water to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes on medium heat, until just a bit of liquid is left. Pass throught a sieve and press with a spatula to get all the syrup from the apple. In a small bowl, whisk together the butter, icing sugar, and apple syrup. Store in the fridge in an airtight container. Will keep up to two weeks.
