Date And Orange Slice Bars

Ingredients

• Servings: 24
• 8 ounces chopped pitted dates
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup water
• 3/4 cup shortening
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons hot water
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 (10.5 ounce) packages orange slice candies, cut in half lengthwise

Recipe

Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 30 mins Ready Time: 1 hr


• in a saucepan combine the dates, 1/2 cup of sugar, 2 tablespoons of flour, and water. bring to a boil, and cook until thickened, about 10 minutes. remove from heat, and set aside to cool.
• preheat the oven to 325 degrees f (165 degrees c). grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
• in a medium bowl, cream together the shortening and brown sugar until smooth. beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. dissolve the baking soda in hot water, then stir into the creamed mixture. combine 1 3/4 cups of flour and salt; stir into the batter just until blended.
• spread half of the batter in the bottom of the prepared pan. cover with a layer of orange slice candy, then spread the date mixture over the orange candy. cover with the remaining batter.
• bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown. cool, and cut into bars.