Well, after storing this recipe for almost 3 years, I finally got around to trying it out on my care group. They didn't seem to mind it too much, so here goes:
Maple Pecan Bake
You'll need:
1 pack (about 375g if you can find it, but less is okay) stoned chopped dates
1.5 tsp baking soda
1 tsp instant coffee
75g/3oz soft butter
225g/8oz caster sugar
1 lg egg
1 tsp vanilla
275g/10oz/2 cups plain flour
1.5tsp baking powder
100g shelled pecans, roughly chopped
salt
For the Icing:
275g/10oz icing (confectioner's) sugar
1 tsp instant coffee, dissolved in 1tbsp boiling water
1 tbsp maple syrup
75g/3oz shelled pecans
1.Grease and line a 9X12 inch baking tin and preheat oven to 190 C/375 F. Put chopped dates into a bowl and pour over 11 fl oz boiling water. Sprinkle over the baking soda and coffee and leave to stand.
2. Put butter, sugar, egg and vanilla into food processor and whiz for a minute until creamy. Drain dates, keeping liquid. Add flour, a pinch of salt, baking powder and liquid from the dates to the processor and whiz until combined. Add dates and pecans and pulse until nuts and fruit are chopped but not pureed. Tip into tin, smooth and bake for 25-30 min, until done.
3. For the icing, sieve the icing sugar into a bowl, add the dissolved coffee and maple syrup and mix with 1.5 - 2 tbsp of water to make nice and smooth.
4. Once the cake is cooled, freeze it for later without icing or spread the icing on top and decorate with pecans.
Yum yum. Credit to Sainsbury's Magazine, March 2006.
