DATE BARS

Ingredients
6oz/150g butter
6oz/150g soft brown sugar
8oz/200g plain flour
½ level teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon salt
4oz/100g rolled oats

Filling:
8oz stone dried dates
¼pint/125ml   water
1oz/25g soft brown sugar
Finely grated rind of 1 lemon

Method
Beat the butter to a soft cream then beat in the soft brown sugar.  Sieve the flour, bicarb & salt and mix them into the mixture with the rolled oats - the ingredients will form large crumbs.
Chop the dates, put them into a pan with the water, sugar and lemon rind and stir them over a slow heat for about 5 minutes.
Brush either 2 foil containers 5” X 7 ½ “ or 12” X 8” swiss roll tin with melted fat.  Spread half the crumb mixture into the base leaving the other half to top the filling.  Press down the crumbs with a palette knife.  Cover them with the date filling and spread the top with the rest of the crumbs.
Bake the date bars in a fairly hot oven, about gas mark 6/400F for 25/30 minutes.
Cut into bars when cold.