Date Bars

Ingredients

• 150g butter
• 50g soft brown sugar
• 200g plain flour
• ½ level teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1 teaspoon salt100g rolled oats

Filling:

• 200g  dried dates
• 125ml water
• 25g soft brown sugar
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

Method
Beat the butter and the soft brown sugar together.  Sieve the flour, bicarbonate of soda,  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  12 inch x 8 inch swiss roll tin with melted butter.  Spread half the crumb mixture into the base. 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.