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Chinese Chews
Made with dates and nuts, the baked Chinese Chews Square is formed into balls then rolled in granulated sugar. Easy to make and uses only standard pantry baking ingredients, these tasty morsels are not overly rich or sweet.
Servings 36
Ingredients
- 1 cup chopped dates (apx. 5 oz)
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar, lightly packed
- 2 large eggs (room temperature), beaten
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts
- Granulated sugar for rolling balls or Icing Sugar (aka powdered sugar or confectioner’s sugar) for sprinkling over square
Instructions
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Position oven rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 350°F.
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Line 8”x8” baking pan with parchment paper and lightly spray with cooking oil.
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Coarsely chop the dates and set aside.
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Sift or sieve the flour, baking powder, and salt into medium-sized bowl. Stir in the sugars. Add the chopped dates and nuts and toss with the dry ingredients.
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Beat the eggs and vanilla together in small bowl. Add to the dry ingredients and stir until the dry ingredients are incorporated.
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Transfer batter to prepared pan and smooth evenly with a knife.
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Bake square for approximately 30 minutes or until top is set and cake tester inserted into center of square comes out clean.
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Cool square in pan for approximately 15-20 minutes then cut square into 6 rows, vertically and horizontally. Take each tiny square and form it into a ball, working the crusty top of the square into the interior of each ball. Roll balls in granulated sugar.
Recipe Notes
Yield: 36 balls
NOTE: Square can also be left just as a square. Cool square a few minutes in pan then lift by parchment paper ends and transfer to wire cooling rack. When completely cooled, sprinkle sifted icing sugar (aka powdered sugar or confectioner’s sugar) over top of square and cut into squares of desired size.
[Copyright My Island Bistro Kitchen]