JAMMY DATE & DARK CHOCOLATE BARS
We partnered with Agatha Kulaga of Ovenly, NYC to highlight Guittard Chocolate 72% Sante Chocolate Chips and Organic Date Sugar to create a delicious holiday treat. Agatha developed a decadent fudgy bar, featuring a layer of rich chocolate date paste and adorned with an oaty nutty crumble. There’s something nostalgic yet fresh about this treat. It has some classic makings of a chocolate pecan pie but then there’s the granola-y dates & oats duo…and what is that heavenly surprise note? Black caraway seeds?! This is a Miro-esque masterpiece we can’t wait to dig into.
Ingredients
Softened unsalted butter, for greasing the baking pan
3 cups dried, pitted dates, chopped into 1⁄4-inch disks
11⁄2 cups water
3 ounces Guittard Sante 72% Coconut Sugar Sweetened Chips
1⁄4 cup Just Date Sugar
11⁄2 cups spelt flour
11⁄2 cups rolled oats
1⁄2 cup coarsely chopped raw pecans, walnuts or hazelnuts
2 tablespoons (1⁄8 cup) black caraway seeds
1 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
10 tablespoons (5 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1⁄2 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1⁄2 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with softened butter.
In a medium-size saucepan, bring the dates, water, chocolate and sugar to a boil. Reduce to simmer and stir occasionally, until the mixture thickens and becomes a spreadable paste. Cool for 10 minutes.
While the date mixture cools, place the spelt flour, oats, nuts, black caraway seeds, salt and baking soda in a large bowl. Whisk to combine and set aside.
In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or using a hand mixer, cream the butter and oil with the light and dark brown sugars until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the machine off, add the flour mixture and mix on low until just combined.
Firmly press half of the dough into the bottom of the prepared baking pan, covering it completely from corner to corner, filling in any cracks with more dough. Using an offset spatula, spread the reserved date paste over the dough in an even layer. Crumble the remaining dough on top of the date paste and press down slightly so that it sticks.
Bake for 33 to 35 minutes, or until the crumble is lightly golden brown.
Cool completely before cutting the bars into 15, approximately 3 x 2 1⁄2-inch rectangles (or whatever size you prefer).
created by Agatha Kulaga