MAKES 40 • PREP: 25 MIN • BAKE: 35 MIN
Pecan-Date Squares and Raspberry Cheesecake Bars
(see recipe here).
FILLING
1 lb (3 cups) pitted dates, chopped
1½ cups orange juice
CRUST & TOPPING
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1½ cups old-fashioned oats
cup packed light-brown sugar
1½ cups pecans, chopped
2½ sticks (1¼ cups) cold unsalted butter, cut up
Decoration: confectioners’ sugar
1 Filling: Bring dates and orange juice to a boil in a 3-qt saucepan. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring often, 15 minutes or until dates are tender, orange juice is absorbed and mixture thickens. Set aside to cool.
2 Heat oven to 350°F. Line a 13 × 9-in. baking pan with foil, letting foil extend 2 in. above pan at opposite ends. Lightly coat with cooking spray.
3 Crust & Topping: Put flour, oats, brown sugar and ½ cup of the chopped pecans in food processor; pulse to blend. Add butter; pulse until mixture is crumbly. Transfer 2½ cups crumb mixture to a medium bowl. Press remaining crumbs over bottom of lined pan. Spoon filling over crust and carefully spread in an even layer, up to ¼ in. from edge. Stir remaining pecans into bowl with crumb mixture, sprinkle over filling and press down lightly with fingertips.
4 Bake 35 minutes or until edges are brown. Cool completely in baking pan on a wire rack.
5 Lift foil by ends to cutting board. Cut into 1½-in. squares. Dust with confectioners’ sugar.
PER BAR: 161 cal, 2 g pro, 20 g car, 2 g fiber, 9 g fat (4 g sat fat), 15 mg chol, 42 mg sod
Storage tip: Refrigerate tightly covered with wax paper between layers up to 2 weeks, or freeze up to 1 month.
