Buckwheat Oats Date Square

Ingredients

• 225g Medjool dates, pitted and torn in half
• finely grated zest from 1 tangelo
• juice from 1 tangelo topped with enough water to make 190mL (3/4 cup)
• 50g (1/4 cup) raw Muscovado sugar, optional
• 3/4 cup rolled oats (quick cooking or old fashioned)
• 3/4 cup buckwheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 125mL (1/2 cup) melted coconut oil

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Line a 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper.
2. In a small sauce pan, simmer dates, tangelo zest, juice, and water over low heat until soft, about 10 minutes. Mash with spoon or spatula to a paste. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a food processor, combine sugar, oats, buckwheat flour, cinnamon, cardamom, baking soda, and salt in 5 pulses. Drizzle in coconut oil and pulse until mixture turn into wet crumbs.
4. Divide 3/4 of the crumbs into prepared pan and press with fingers to form the crust. Dollop date paste on top of crust and spread with offset spatula into an even thin layer. Sprinkle on remaining crumbs evenly on top and lightly pressed with fingers.
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes until top is brown and feels sturdy. Cool in pan.
6. To make neat cuts, chill pan in refrigerator for 60 minutes before slicing into 9 or 12 pieces with serrated knife.