maker*land.

There is something really nostalgic about those old, simple recipes which just consist of throwing everything into a bowl, mixing it together, pressing into a pan and popping it in the oven.  Recipes with no fancy cooking methods, or far-fetched ingredients you have to go to a special shop for.  This recipe comes from my late Nanna, who wrote it down in a very lady-like hand on a piece of paper that must be close to forty years old now.  I love old handwritten recipes.

This yummy slice is so easy you could probably make it the first time with your eyes closed.  We made it today, and it is the perfect complement to the grey cloudy skies and brisk wind outside - the kitchen is toasty warm from the oven and the house smells like a bakery. 

125g butter

1 cup of brown sugar

1 egg

1 level tsp salt

1 cup chopped dates

1 cup self raising flour

Melt the butter, mix in the sugar and salt.  Add the egg and dates and mix to combine.  Then add the self raising flour and again mix to combine.  Spread mixture into a greased and lined 11x 7 inch pan, and bake for 15-20 minutes at 180 degrees celsius.  If you find the top is browning to quickly, cover with foil (my oven is bad for this).  The slice puffs up while cooking, but will deflate (that is not the proper cooking term, I know, but that is the best way I know to describe what happens) on cooling.  When cool, cut into squares.  

I have also made this as a dessert by cooking in a small cake tin for about ten minutes longer, and serving wedges of it hot out of the oven with ice cream and butterscotch sauce.  Don't eat it too close to bed-time though, because all that sugar will make you super-hyper and unable to sleep.

Oooh, and my Nan noted that you could also add half a teaspoon of cinnamon, if you like things spicy.