Edible Sound Bites

Welcome to baking season!

Have I got a treat for you today!

This is a classic Canadian dessert bar. There's something very satisfying about a good date square. Delicious pureed dates sandwiched between two layers of buttery oatmeal crumb crust. Sigh...I can almost smell them baking away in the oven right now. You're going to love these!

The Best Date Squares |ediblesoundbites.com

The great thing about this recipe is that you can whip them up really fast and have them in the oven baking in no time. These really are the best date squares I've ever had!

This recipe comes from my grandmother's collection that was passed down to my mom. It's been in the family for a long time now and is one of those special recipes that never goes out of style. I've heard so many stories from my dad about all the amazing desserts and things my grandmother used to make. Her homemade fudge was something that people from the town of Douro used to line up at her front door for. I'm also told that her chocolate cakes were something to die for. I must search out more of her recipes. I never got the chance to try her baking as she passed away when I was very young, but I thank you 100 times and more for this dessert bar Grandma xxx.

The Best Old-Fashioned Date Squares yield: 16 squares

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Ingredients:

oat crumble

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 2/3 cups rolled oats
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup softened butter

date filling

1 lb. dates
1 cup hot water

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, oats, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Stir in softened butter until fully incorporated. The mixture should resemble course crumbs.
For the date filling, combine dates and hot water in a saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce heat and cook, stirring often until dates are soft and begin to thicken.
Press half of the crumb mixture into the bottom of an 8 x 8-inch baking pan to form the bottom crust.
Press the date filling over the bottom crust.
Sprinkle remaining oat mixture over date filling. Lightly pat down with your fingers to even out the topping.
Bake at 325˚ for 30 minutes until the top is lightly browned and golden.
Cool completely and cut into squares.

If you're looking for some more amazing dessert bars, I've got a killer recipe for Magic Bars right here!

I'll be back next week to share some more holiday goodies!

Today's post is for the all food photographers and bloggers. I get so many wonderful comments on my photos that I thought it would be fun to share some helpful behind the scenes tips, which I use all the time. I've been focusing on improving my skills lately and really working at finding the best work flow that works well for me.

Lately I've been trying out some budget friendly things in my photography. Little household items that have helped me improve my photos and really make my life easier. Naturally I thought, "what a great idea to share some of these little tricks." So let's jump right into it!

#1. White Bed Sheet or Curtains

Simply put this is just a great big diffuser. Don't laugh. This is a great tip to filter and soften the lighting from your window. If it is an especially sunny day out, double up the bed sheet to make it thicker for extra diffusion. Who needs to spend a ton of money on a fancy diffuser when you can just DIY? For many of the pictures I take, I cover the window of my main light source with a large white cotton bed sheet draped (or clipped with clothes pins) over the curtain rod. If you already have sheer curtains hanging then you're all set to go.

You'll notice in the second photo taken without the bed sheet that the light falling on the lemons looks a bit harsher, which is a bit distracting.

#2. Crumpled Tissue Paper

Take 2 or 3 sheets of tissue paper and give it a bit of a scrunch up in your hands. This makes a perfect background. There is something very rustic looking about it that makes you want to dive in and eat. It's cheap, it's easy, and you most likely have some laying around the house somewhere from the last time you wrapped a gift. The best part is you can choose colours that will compliment the colour palette of your subject. You could go neutral or eye popping. I did this with the Chili Lime Roasted Chickpeas that I made back in the summer.

#3. White Foam Board

First of all, please ignore the junk sitting in the background ;). One of the most useful inexpensive thing you can get is a large piece of white foam board. It makes the perfect light reflector that let's you fill in areas of your shot that are dark. Natural light is best. It's easy to control and can create some beautiful shots. I usually position my table adjacent to a window as I want the light to all come from one side, creating nice shadows on the opposite side of the photo. If the image looks too dark and the shadows need softening, I'll prop this guy up right beside the other side of the dish I'm photographing. The white board bounces the light coming in through my window back onto the food. The closer you place the white board to the subject the brighter your image will be. You can pick these up at almost any craft store (even Walmart) for a few dollars. Score!

#4. Linen Fabrics/ Pillow Cases

Linen is quickly becoming one of my favourite kinds of backgrounds to use. It has a beautiful soft woven texture that stands out really well in photos and helps to tell a story. Here's a recent post I made for a brussels sprout side dish where I used my favourite light brown/ beige coloured linen napkins. Don't have any linen napkins? Old pillow cases will work just as great, and don't forget the fabric store. You can pick out whatever kind of colour or pattern you like and buy a yard or two while staying within your budget.

#5. Spritz Bottles

Big or little it doesn't matter. A spritz bottle filled with water can become your best friend when it comes to food photography. Just a few spritzes of water can bring food to life. It can give fruits and veggies that fresh picked look and make your photos look tantalizingly good.