Suggestions for Dates

New Zealand Listener, Volume 37, Issue 945, 20 September 1957, Page 32

Suggestions for Dates

1 yee are useful in so many desserts and savouries, in cakes and puddings, and with the over-sweetness counteracted (for those without a "sweet-tooth") with cheese and ginger and chopped walnuts. Cut lunches are good when the bread is spread first with cream cheese (bought at a good grocer or at delicatessen shops), and then a layer of chopped dates; or even lightly buttered and a layer of thin slices of tasty cheese covered with chopped and mashed dates. Cocktail savouries of dates with cheese taking the place of the stone, are always popular. So are these: Date Slices These are delicious morsels, and nourishing, too, Put through the mincer \% lb. stoned dates and 2 oz. 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. Dates in Salads Add a few dates to individual salad plates; crisp small lettuce leaves holding a slice of peach, some chopped celery, a spoonful of cream cheese, or a small. wedge of other cheese, slices of hard-boiled egg, asparagus tips, some thin slices of ham rolled up, or almost any fancied mixture. Date and Banana Shortcake Four ounces wholemeal, 3 oz. white flour, 1 level teaspoon baking powder, 4 oz. butter, 1 oz. cornflour, 2 oz. 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 4% 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 arfd bake as usual. Date and Nut Loaf One cup cut-up dates soaked in 1 cup boiling water with 1 teaspoon baking soda, Beat together 1% Ib. butter, 14 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 ¥2 cup walnuts. Bake about 1 hour. : Date Fillings One tablespoon sugar, 1% Ib. dates, 2 tablespoons water, grated rind of 1 lemon,-juice of half a lemon. Boil dates, sugar and water till soft, then add lemon juice and rind. Beat well. Or mix together equal quantities butter and sweetened condensed milk .and add minced dates to taste. Family 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 214 to 3 hours. A little more milk may be needed and a beaten egg makes it extra good. Cheese and Date Fingers Five ounces flour, 1 egg yolk, 3 oz. butter, 1 tablespoon milk, 2 oz. grated cheese (dry), % teaspoon cayenne, pinch salt. Rub butter into flour. add

other _ ingredients, bind with egg yolk and milk, then roll out and cover one half with dates, Fold over and cut into

fingers, Bake about 15 minutes. Make dates soft by adding a little hot water. They must be quite cold before spreading on paste. Date Bread Stone and cut into pieces 1 cup dates. Put dates in basin and add 1 level teaspoon baking soda, Pour over this 3%4 cup boiling water and stand to cool. Beat 1 egg in basin with rather less than % breakfast cup sugar, add a little salt and 1 teaspoon vanilla, Now ‘add date mixture. Stir in lightly 11% scant breakfast cups flour and 1 large teaspoon baking powder. Bake in wellgreased tin about 114 hours or less,

depending on size of tin. To have sread smooth and glossy, cover with paper while baking. Date and Walnut Cake Three breakfast cups flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup dates, 2 teaspoons cocoa, 4 cup butter. 1 cup walnuts, 2 tablespoons vinegar, 1 teaspoon baking soda dissolved in a little cold milk, Cream butter.and sugar, add cocoa and milk with baking soda dissolved. Add flour, walnuts and dates, vinegar last. Bake in slow oven. Date Scones Two cups flour, 2 heaped teaspoons baking powder, 1 tablespoon butter, pinch salt, 1 tablespoon sugar, and about % to 1 cup milk (or milk and water) to mix. Sieve flour, etc., rub in the shortening lightly, and mix to a soft dough, Roll out not too thinly, spread half with cut-up dates (about 14% cups) and cover with other half of dough. Pat lightly together; cut into squares or diamond shapes with sharp knife; brush over with a little milk to glaze and bake in a quick oven, 15 to 20 minutes, depending on thickness of scones. Date and Apple Pudding (Steamed) Half a pound of chopped dates, 14 Ib. flour, 44 lb, butter, 1 egg, 4% Ib, apples weighed after peeling, 1 teaspoon bak-. ing powder, 1 oz. sugar, milk to mix. Cream butter and sugar, add beaten egg Sift flour, baking powder and pinch of salt, and add alternately with the milk, Fruit last. Mix well together. Steam in greased basin about 2 hours. Date and Apple Pudding (Baked) One cup flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 tablespoon butter, pinch of