Date and Pecan things!

Raw bites, Sugar Free and Wheat free Cookies and  Pecan Crumble Muffins!

 I love the combination of dates and pecans! Especially if they are lovely soft, squishy dates!

Here are some things I have done with them recently...

Date and Pecan bites
1,The simplest kind...put pecan inside date. Eat! (yum!)

2, Slightly more effort-blend dates and pecans, roll into balls, and coat in chopped pecans!

Soft date and oat breakfast cookies. No added sugar, no wheat, no added fat, no soya!

150g soft dates such as medjool or deglet

50g of pecans, plus a few extra.

100g apple sauce

50g oat flour (made by grinding oats in a blender)

40g whole oats

Preheat oven to 175 C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

Blend 50g oats to flour.  Set aside.

Blend dates, add pecan nuts and blend again until fairly smooth. Add apple sauce and oat flour and blend again.

Tip mixture out into a bowl, and stir in oats and a few extra chopped pecans.

Form into 12 blobs and flatten slightly.

Bake for 8 mins. Leave to cool on the tray for 5 mins, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool fully.

Keep in an airtight container and eat within 2 days.

Date and Pecan cake or muffins

-To make as a sponge bake in a lined 8" tin at 180 C for 30 minutes.

-To make as muffins bake at 175 C for 15-20 minutes.

• 
  
• Sponge 
• 1 cup soya or almond milk
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons cider vinegar
• 2/3 cup plain flour
• 1/3 cup wholemeal plain flour (or more plain flour).
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup muscovado sugar (or more granulated sugar).
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

200g dates

1/4 cup water

Crumble

• 1/2 cup plain flour 
• 1/2 cup wholemeal flour (or more plain flour )
• 1/4 cup soft brown sugar (or granulated sugar)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1/3 cup oil  or melted margarine

If making a cake either grease the tin or line with baking paper.  If making muffins put muffin cases in the baking tray.

Chop dates and cook in a saucepan with 1/4 cup of water for 10 mins or so, stirring often until the dates are softened slightly.

Preheat oven to 175C-180C.

To make the crumble, mix all of the crumble ingredients with your finger tips, until the mixture is..well, crumbly. If the mixture is too wet add a little extra flour. 

To make the cake..

Sift flours, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon and salt into a large mixing bowl.

In a separate bowl whisk vinegar into the soya milk. Whisk in oil and sugars. (make sure sugars are well mixed, and that no lumps of brown sugar remain).

Make a well in the bowl of flour, and add milk mixture.  Stir with a spoon or spatula until no dry flour remains.  (But be careful to not over-mix.)

Spoon the mixture into cake tin or muffin tray.

Spoon cooked dates evenly over the cake mixture. Sprinkle on the crumble mixture.

-Bake muffins for 15 mins and test with a toothpick. If the middle is still gooey set a timer for 2 more minutes and check again, then at further 2 minute intervals if needed until they are cooked. Once done remove from tray and cool on a cooling rack.

-If making a cake, bake for 30 minutes, and test with a toothpick. If the middle is still gooey set a timer for 5 more minutes and check again, then at further 5 minute intervals if needed until the cake is cooked. 

Delicious served warm with ice cream!