Thursday, July 4, 2013

Whole Wheat Date, Walnut & Coconut Squares


So I get my first DSLR! A Nikon D3200 to start with, general opinion being this is a good one for the complete beginner. Am terribly excited of course, quite intimidated too!  Hope I will learn my way around it in sometime. I have an adept-at-teaching, very ardent photographer for my teacher and guide to help me get started - but for a very short while only ! Therefore the rush to chew on his IIT brains and get a tiny bit of hands on practice before he takes off to start his career.  Thanks tons Ajay for all the guidance, help and patience with me!

While this is happening, I am also in the process of shifting my baking paraphernalia to another kitchen.  A little one again, nevertheless very happy to get the extra space - my little baking kitchen!  A lick of paint and some scrubbing and its ready to occupy.  Organizing, re-organizing, huffing and puffing down the stairs it will be for some days. Good for my expanding waist-line, should help me burn some butter and sugar - now and now on!


Here are some whole wheat date and walnut bars I made. Hubby loves both dates and walnuts and picks them up invariably when we shop. A handful of dates become his dessert quite often, I know who the culprit is when my stash of walnuts diminish from the freezer.  I had wanted to bake these Wheat Date And Walnut Squares from the KAF Whole Grain Baking book for him since long. Not too sweet, softish, relatively healthy, nothing indulgent or dessert-like really, but tasty little bites. Both the hubby and kids liked them, a tray of these with chocolate chips had to be baked too - 'dessert' with the lunch box is always welcome!

The recipe in the book is double the below, baked in a 9''x13'' pan. I have used an 8'' square tin for the recipe below.

Ingredients :
Whole wheat flour ( I use Ashirwad) - 65 grams
Butter, at room temperate - 30 grams / 2 tablespoons
Brown sugar, powdered - 1/3 cup, packed, then powdered (recipe uses 1/2 cup)
Baking soda - HALF of 1/8 teaspoon
Egg - 48 grams / 1 large
Vanilla - 1 teaspoon
Dates, pitted and chopped - 1/2 cup
Walnuts, chopped  - 1/2 cup
Dessicated coconut - 2 tablespoons

  • Procedure : Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees C / 350 degrees F. Line your baking tray with parchment, grease lightly. 
  • Take the butter, sugar, soda and vanilla in a medium sized bowl. Beat (with a large spoon) for about a minute till the mixture is smooth. 
  • Add the egg, beat till well incorporated about 30 seconds. Fold in the flour, till it almost disappears. Stir in the walnuts and dates. 
  • The mixture will be very thick, almost like cookie batter. Dump it into the tray, push it to cover the pan. Wet your hands if needed to smoothen it.  Scatter the coconut on top,  press down lightly. This will make a very thin layer.
  • Bake for 20-22 minutes or till a light golden on top and slightly darker around the edges. Cool the bars in the tin for 1/2 hour. Cut into squares. 
Yes, I took the pictures with the new camera. Am not telling you that Ajay helped me with the settings before he zoomed away as I took the pictures!


12 comments:

Hamaree Rasoi said...

Delicious and mouthwatering coconut squares.
Deepa

Namita said...

Hi Suma, I loved the use of whole wheat flour in the recipe. With whole wheat flour,dates, brown sugar,coconut,walnuts and just 3 tablespoons of butter you've made it nourishing and guilt free!

Unknown said...

Congrats on the DSLR. You must be super excited!! YAY! Nice new blog look too, and then a new baking space. Woot woot Suma. Good for you! I like the sound of these squares. They look like blondies, but are packed with energy. YUM!

Lifewithspices said...

they looks so addictive.. love to try it..

Shree said...

the squares look yum !

Archana said...

Congratulations on your new DSLR and the new baking kitchen !! How cool is that ? You opening up a little baking store ??
Love the sound of these date squares and its wonderful that you've made it using whole wheat, must give it a try

Unknown said...

Hello! Thank you for sharing with us your recipe, I'll definitely try this at home, I was really looking for something new for my kids who always go to school and I really wanted to bring with them my home made recipe as their snacks because I don't want them to buy anywhere in canteen or outside the school. I have already copied it in my recipe notebook. Thank you so much for this and I'm looking forward for you more recipes to post.


xx
cakes bakery in Brooklyn

Unknown said...

Looks fantastic.. lovely combination too!!

Unknown said...

Hi this is healthy. how i can substitute egg? Can i add flax seed powder and 1 more table spoon of butter?

Suma Rowjee said...

@Sreedevi - A tablespoon of ground flax meal mixed in 3 tbsp warm water and let to stand for 5 minutes is supposed to work well as a substitute for one egg.

Myvegfare said...

Wow Suma, congrats on your DSLR , and to your new home, this is my kind of baking, would love to try these for sure.., not a walnut fan but love dates

The HomeCrafter said...

Hey suma great blog n videos.... i am thinking to bake stage now... going thru ur blog.... can i substitute sugar? coz i have to make sugarfree or i since i have diabetic ppl at home... so...