Shortbread Date Slices

I love Date Slices and often make them as per the old 1920s Cornish recipe book, posted at least two or three years ago] but here is a slightly different version. Us Cornish do love our dates. Instead of using the ready stoned and chopped, I was trawling through the large Truro Sainsbury’s the other day and noticed they stock the old fashioned proper blocks and bought a couple. They are more work though, but it took me back to my Mother’s kitchen. The “shortbread mix” is so simple and absolutely delicious. Keeps well for a few days.

You will need a small [approx 11 x 7 inches] buttered Swiss Roll tin and pre heat your fan oven to 170C. I line the tin with parchment, going up the sides to help lift it out.

8 oz dates, chopped

1 tablespoonful honey

1 teaspoonful cinnamon

5 fl oz cold water

3 tablespoonfuls lemon juice

Place the above in a small saucepan and simmer until soft and squishy. Just a few minutes. Set aside to cool.

6 oz softened butter

3 oz caster sugar

6 oz SR flour

6 oz semolina

In a saucepan, gently melt the butter and sugar then add the flour and semolina. Mix well. Tip just about half into your prepared Swiss Roll tin, spread it out using a fork and then press down as evenly as you can. I used the back of a tablespoon. Spread over the date mixture. Cover with the other half of the shortbread mix and level and lightly press. This is quite difficult, so I just crumbled it as evenly as I could.

Bake for about 30 mins. Cool for a  short while then lift out onto a cooling rack and cut into slices when still warm with a sharp knife. Enjoy!

Just scrummy. Especially served warm with clotted cream as a dessert.