Please help me recreate my Gram's oatmeal date nut bars

[cyalexa]

I am trying to recreate a recipe from my childhood, my grandmother's oatmeal date nut bars. I'm calling them bars and not bread because she made them in a 13x9 then cut them into 9 by 2ish bricks which would be individually wrapped in foil. The bricks would be cut into slices for service. They were very dense and moist, almost sticky. I've searched online and the recipes for bars are layered. Gram's weren't layered. I've been experimenting with a couple date nut bread recipes and have made things I've liked but they are not like Gram's. I would like to try a new recipe and am seeking suggestions. 

[Smithy]

What an interesting question! I've been through all my recipes and my "Date Recipes" cookbook; all the recipes for bar cookies call for layers. I wonder what would happen if a "date bread" recipe, for quick bread or coffee cake, were spread out into a 9x13 pan?

Do you recall whether the recipe involved chocolate, nuts and/or fruit other than the dates? I haven't looked into my quick bread recipes, but your answers may help focus the search.

[cyalexa]

What an interesting question! I've been through all my recipes and my "Date Recipes" cookbook; all the recipes for bar cookies call for layers. I wonder what would happen if a "date bread" recipe, for quick bread or coffee cake, were spread out into a 9x13 pan?

Do you recall whether the recipe involved chocolate, nuts and/or fruit other than the dates? I haven't looked into my quick bread recipes, but your answers may help focus the search.

Thanks for your input. There was no chocolate or fruits that I recall other than the dates. The nuts were walnuts. Sadly my Grandmother died before I began cooling seriously so I never asked for any of her recipes. I have been trying date quick bread recipes. My plan is to get close to the taste I remember then experiment with the pan size and texture. The recipe that was closest so far was too sweet. It had both honey and brown sugar. I tried it again, omitting the honey. The taste was better but the texture was too crumbly. I want to keep the molasses flavor from the brown sugar so if I try this recipe again I'll omit the brown sugar, keep the honey and add some molasses. 

[ChocoMom]

Hi,

I knew both my grandmas had recipes for something along that line. Just found them last weekend in the barn.  Neither use oatmeal.  But, I suppose, with some adjustments, it could be worked in.  I'm skipping one of them, as it is labeled "Date-Nut Torte" and doesn't sound even close. But here is the other....a very old Grandma Schultz recipe ...

 

Date-Nut Bars

 

1 C general purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/8 tsp salt

3 eggs

1 c sugar...(Does not specify white or brown- but I'd assume its white)

3 T cold water

1 C chopped dates

1 C chopped walnuts

 

Sift flour, and measure; then sift with baking powder and salt. Beat yolks until thick and creamy; gradually add sugar and water and continue beating. Fold in flour mixture, dates and walnuts into egg yolk mixture.  Beat egg whites with a flat wire beater until stiff.  Fold into first mixture, and pour into buttered pan (16  y 10.5)Bake at 400 for about 15 min. Let cool. Cut in bars, and roll in powdered sugar.

 

HTH.  Good luck with it!!! Andrea

[cyalexa]

Thanks Andrea. The recipe I'm currently experimenting with did not originally have oatmeal either. In an effort to get the moist dense texture I remember I think I may try soaking the oatmeal with the dates instead of folding it in with the flour. I notice your recipe has 3 eggs per cup of flour. The one I'm trying to tweak has only one per 2 cups of flour. I wonder if an additional egg would make the crumb more moist?

[Kerry Beal]

Wonder if the original recipe was a Parkin?

[cyalexa]

Wonder if the original recipe was a Parkin?

 

I had to google parkin. It looks yummy but I didn't see any with dates (only went 2 pages deep). My grandmother lived in Canada and Michigan. 

 

Sure appreciate the input I've been getting. 

[Smithy]

Thanks Andrea. The recipe I'm currently experimenting with did not originally have oatmeal either. In an effort to get the moist dense texture I remember I think I may try soaking the oatmeal with the dates instead of folding it in with the flour. I notice your recipe has 3 eggs per cup of flour. The one I'm trying to tweak has only one per 2 cups of flour. I wonder if an additional egg would make the crumb more moist?

Perhaps just adding an additional egg yolk would do the trick. Egg yolks tend to moisten; egg whites tend to dry and leaven.

[cyalexa]

"Perhaps just adding an additional egg yolk would do the trick. Egg yolks tend to moisten; egg whites tend to dry and leaven."

 

 good tip, an extra yolk it is

[Martin Fisher]

They were very dense and moist, almost sticky. 

 

My guess is that the recipe contained honey and perhaps the oatmeal was cooked?

 

The following recipe may help...it looks real sweet though...Honey Date Nut Bars (pg. 157)..."These are soft and chewy like old fashioned date nut bars, but made with honey instead of sugar.".....no oatmeal but part of the flour could be changed out.

Maida Heatter's Cookies.... http://books.google.com/books?id=bLuAjbkfOSQC&pg=PA318&dq=oatmeal+date+honey+cake&hl=en&sa=X&ei=ZEGqU4inBpenyATziYDADQ&ved=0CF0Q6AEwBw#v=onepage&q=Honey%20Date%20Nut%20Bars&f=false

[cyalexa]

Martin,

 

Thanks for the ideas and especially the link to that recipe. It looks close with respect to texture and is the only non-layered bar recipe I've seen. 

 

My next attempt will be this weekend. I'll report back.