Ingredients:
- Date Jam
- 500ml cold water
- 500ml sugar
- 500ml chopped dates
- 5ml ground cardamom
- 45ml fresh lemon juice
- 125ml pistachios
- Crumble
- 250g butter
- 45ml sugar
- 45ml sunflower oil
- 5ml vanilla essence or vanilla paste
- 2 eggs
- 10ml baking powder
- 600ml – 700ml cake flour
- Icing sugar, to dust
Method
- Date Jame:
- Dissolve the sugar and water in a 24cm pot.
- On a medium heat, stir the solution until the sugar crystals have dissolved.
- Bring the solution to the boil and then add the chopped dates.
- Simmer until the dates are soft and mushy.
- To test the jam, place a little on a saucer.
- Scrape the jam with a back of a teaspoon – there should be a visible line in the saucer.
- Add the lemon juice and pistachios.
- Stir well and leave to cool.
- Crumble
- Place the butter and sugar in a mixer and cream until light and fluffy.
- Add the sunflower oil and vanilla paste.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Sift 600ml cake flour and baking powder into the cream butter.
- Use the dough hook to work the ingredients into a soft ball.
- Add a little more flour if the dough is too soft.
- Divide the dough into two portions.
- Place one portion in the freezer to firm up.
- Grease a 23cm loose bottomed pie tin and press half the dough over the base.
- Spread the date jam over the base.
- Grate the chilled dough directly over the jam.
- Bake the crumble in a pre-heated oven at 180 degrees celsius for 30 – 35 minutes or until it is golden brown.
- Turn the crumble from time to time to ensure that it browns evenly.
- Remove the crumble from the tin while it is still hot and dredge with layer of icing sugar.
- Serve warm with a dollop of cream or ice cream.