Dates & Walnuts Shortcake

Name: Dates & Walnuts Shortcake
Total time: 3600 s
Yield: 20cm Square Cake Tin
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 110 g Butter *softened, do not melt it; 1/2 cup Brown Sugar *lightly packed; 1 pinch Salt; 1 Egg; 1 cup Self-Raising Flour *OR Plain Flour & 1 teaspoon Baking Powder; *Note: 1 cup Flour makes the dough very soft. You can add extra 2-3 tablespoons, so that the dough would be easier to roll out, but do not add too much; 1 cup chopped Dried Dates; 1/2 cup Hot Water; 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice; 1/2 cup chopped Walnuts

Hiroko Liston @hirokoliston

Melbourne, Australia

A bag of Walnuts had been sitting in my pantry for a long time when my daughter gave me another bag of Walnuts. So, I have been trying to use them. Today, I made this Shortcake using Auntie Betty’s Belgian Shortcake recipes. It was seriously delicious.

Hiroko Liston @hirokoliston

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Ingredients

60 minutes

20cm Square Cake Tin

110 gButter *softened, do not melt it
1/2 cupBrown Sugar *lightly packed
1 pinchSalt
1Egg
1 cupSelf-Raising Flour *OR Plain Flour & 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
*Note: 1 cup Flour makes the dough very soft. You can add extra 2-3 tablespoons, so that the dough would be easier to roll out, but do not add too much
Filling
1 cupchopped Dried Dates
1/2 cupHot Water
1 tablespoonLemon Juice
1/2 cupchopped Walnuts

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Steps

60 minutes

1

To make Filling, place chopped Dates and Hot Water in a large heat-proof bowl, heat in the microwave for 2 to 3 minutes, and set aside. *Note: You can do this process using a saucepan. Bring it to the boil and cook for a few minutes, then set aside.
2

Stir the softened Dates and make into paste. Add Lemon Juice and chopped Walnuts, and mix well.
3

Mix softened Butter, Brown Sugar and Salt until smooth, add Egg and mix well. Add Self-Raising Flour and mix to form a soft dough. *Note: The dough is probably too soft to roll out. Cool in the fridge to firm up.
4

Line a 20cm square cake tin with baking paper. Preheat oven to 160℃.
5

Roll out 1/2 of dough on a floured surface, and line the tin. Patch up any gaps and tears, and press down evenly.
6

Spread Dates and Walnuts filling evenly.
7

Roll out the other 1/2 of dough into a square and place it on top to cover. Make holes in a pattern using a skewer.
8

Bake for 30 minutes or until cooked through and golden brown on top. Cool in the tin as this shortcake is very fragile, then cool on a wire rack. Cut into squares and serve.

Betty’s Belgian Shortcake