Date Bars

Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C) and line an 8-inch (20cm) square cake pan with parchment paper.
Place the dates in a small saucepan, add 1 cup water and bring to simmer over medium heat. Simmer until the dates have softened, about 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and use a wooden spoon to mash into a smooth paste.
☞ TESTER TIP: If you have difficulty mashing your dates, pop them into the food processor and blitz until smooth.
Stir in the lemon zest and vanilla, then set aside.

In a food processor, combine the flours, baking soda, salt, and ground spices, then add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Pulse in the brown sugar until evenly distributed.
Firmly press two-thirds of the dough into the base of the prepared pan. Add the date filling, smoothing it out evenly with a spatula, then lightly sprinkle over the remaining crumbly dough.
Bake until the top is golden and the date filling is bubbling through the crumble, 35 to 45 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow the date bars to cool completely in the pan.
Use a sharp knife to cut into 16 squares and serve. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for up to a week.