WHAT TO DO WITH DATES

New Zealand Listener, Volume 21, Issue 530, 19 August 1949, Page 22

WHAT TO DO WITH DATES

| ) ) OMADS in the Eastern desert get along well for many days at a time on a diet of dates, and goats’ or camels’ milk and cheese. Have you tried good dessert dates with a piece |of pasteurized cheege inserted in place |of the stone? These are delightful either /aS cocktail savouries, or as a light dessert with after dinner coffee when soup and a substantial meat.course make pudding unnecessary. Date Slices These are delicious morsels, atd nourishing too. Put through the mincer Yalb. stoned dates and 20z. preserved ginger. Spread a pastry board with a dusting of icing sugar, and on this put a good teacupful chopped walnuts. Roll and knead all three together, using icing sugar to prevent sticking. Work in a teaspoon of orange flavouring. Make into a roll or a bar about an inch in diameter and serve cut in slices. Date and Nut Loaf One cup cut-up dates soaked in 1 cup boiling water with 1 teaspoon baking soda. Beat together 14lb. butter and 44 breakfast cup sugar, and vanilla to taste; add 1 egg, then 2 breakfast cups flour, with 1 teaspoon baking powder. Add _ alternately with date mixture. Lastly add 42 cup walnuts. Bake about 1 hour. . Date Fillings One tablespoon sugar, %4lb. dates, 2 tablespoons water, grated rind of 1 lemon, juice of half a lemon. Boil dates, sugar and water till soft, then add lemon rind and juice. Beat well. Or mix together equal quantities butter and sweetened condensed milk and add minced dates to taste. : Date Waffles Sift together 142 cups flour, 2% teaspoons baking powder, 44 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon sugar. Beat separately 2 egg yolks till frothy and 2 egg whites till stiff. Combine 1 cup milk and % cup melted shortening with the beaten yolks, Blend well. Gradually add the dry ingredients, to which 34 cup chopped dates has been added, and beat until batter is light and full of bubbles. Fold in the stiff whites. Bake in a preheated waffle-iron until golden brownonly about 3 minutes. Serve with butter and sugar, or with golden syrup slightly warmed and with a little butter beaten in to make a creamy spread. Date and Banana Shortcake . Four ounces wholemeal, 30z. white flour, 1 level teaspoon baking powder, 4oz. butter, loz. cornflour, 2oz. sugar, 1 egg. Cream butter and sugar, add egg, sifted flours, etc. Roll out, and with half, line a sandwich tin. Spread with a cut-up medium sized banana, then spread with 142 cup dates, which have been boiled a minute or two with about 2 tablespoons water, and vanilla or other essence to taste. Put on rest of pastry and bake as usual. Date Pudding One cup each of breadcrumbs, flour, sugar, shredded suet and dates, 1 teaspoon baking soda dissolved in 34 cup

of milk, 1 teaspoon of spice, and any essence as desired. Mix fairly wet and steam 244 to 3 hours. A little more milk may be needed and a beaten egg makes it extra good, Date Queen Cakes One teacup of sugar, 1 egg, Y4lb. i. ter, Y2lb. dates, 1 heaped breakfast cup flour, 2 teaspoon baking soda dissolved in 4% teacup milk. Walnuts may be added if desired. Cream butter and sugar, add the well beaten egg, gradually add flour alternately with milk and soda. Add datés (cut into small pieces). Bake in well greased patty pans in moderate oven approximately 15 minutes. Creole Chéss Pie One cup sugar, % cup butter, 3 eggs, YQ teaspoon cinnamon, 2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1 cup dates cut fine, 1 cup nuts cut fine, 42 cup grated coconut, 2 teaspoons vinegar. Beat butter, sugar and eggs together until fluffy. Add spices, vinegar and fruits. Turn into pastry-lined pan and bake. Everyday Date Loaf One cup dates, 1 cup sugar, 2 cups flour, 1 tablespoon butter, 1 cup boiling water, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon vanilla essence. Put © dates, sugar, butter and baking soda im basin, pour boiling water over and stir. Then add flour, well-beaten egg, and vanilla. Mix’ all together and bake 1% hours in moderate oven in a deep tin, or 1 hour in a wide shallow tin,