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    Home » Recipes » Desserts

    Food for the Gods

    Published: Feb 22, 2021 · Modified: Oct 6, 2022 by Neriz · This post contains some affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe

    These Filipino Date and Walnut Bars are addictive! Excellent with coffee or tea — Food for the Gods is great for dessert or snack, or you can even have a piece (or two) for breakfast!

    Overhead shot of slices of Date and Walnut Bars, served with a cup of coffee.

    Food for the Gods is available the whole year-round.  You always see them in big bakeries in Manila, next to the brownies.

    But for some reason, they get special treatment during the holidays. These date and walnut bars are commonly given as gifts to friends and families, like a mini (or sliced version) of fruit cake.

    Growing up, I always thought that they’re a bit too sweet for me.  

    But now that I know how to make them at home — I get to control the amount of sugar in them. 🙂

    IF YOU WANT MORE EASY FILIPINO RECIPES, THEN YOU WILL LIKE THESE POSTS!

    • Bibingka (Filipino Coconut Rice Cake)
    • Filipino Bread Rolls (Pandesal)

    Ingredients

    An image showing all the ingredients you need to prepare date and walnut bars.
    • Dates – dried, pitted dates
    • Syrup – I used dark syrup for this recipe, but light ones would work as well.
    • Vanilla extract – just use your favorite brand.
    • Brown sugar – I used muscovado sugar, but any type of brown sugar is fine.
    • Baking powder – use what you have on hand.
    • Butter – unsalted butter
    • Walnuts – raw and chopped roughly.
    • Flour – all-purpose flour is all you need.
    • Salt – take note of the amount if you are using salted butter.
    • Eggs – make sure they’re at room temperature.
    Date and Walnut Bars all set as a gift on Christmas.

    Preparation

    Start by preheating your oven to 180°C (350°F) and grease your baking pan with butter.

    Using a large mixing bowl, combine melted butter and brown sugar (photo 1).

    First part of the latest (Oct22) collage to show how to make Food for the Gods.

    Add vanilla extract, syrup, and eggs, then mix (photo 2).

    Add flour, baking powder, and salt (photo 3).

    Mix to combine.

    Second part of the latest (Oct22) collage to show the process of preparing Food for the Gods.

    Add chopped walnuts and dates (photo 4).

    Mix gently until evenly combined with the batter.

    Transfer batter into the greased pan (photo 5).

    Last part of the latest (Oct22) collage showing the steps to make Food for the Gods at home.

    Use a spatula to even the top of the batter (photo 6).

    Place pan in the oven for twenty minutes, then adjust oven temperature to 160°C (320°F) and continue baking for twenty to twenty-five minutes more.

    Take the pan out of the oven and let it cool for about fifteen minutes.

    Slice — your date bars are now ready for serving.

    An overhead shot of a pan of Food for the Gods, with slices ready for serving.

    Helpful tips

    • If you want your date and walnut bars to be dark, you need to use dark brown sugar and dark (or golden) syrup.
    • Make sure you don’t have lumps in your brown sugar before adding them to the batter. It’s easier than getting rid of them while mixing.
    • There is no need to line your pan with a baking sheet. It’s easy to remove the entire thing from the pan — ready for slicing.
    A closer shot to slices of Food for the Gods, highlighting the dates and walnuts inside.

    Recipe Variation

    • You can use white sugar instead of brown sugar, but it will affect the bars’ color.
    • Raisins are sometimes used instead of dates.  Depending on how sweet the raisins are, you might need to adjust the batter’s amount of sugar.
    • Honey or molasses are both excellent alternatives to syrup in this date bar recipe.

    So, give this recipe a try and let me know what you think in the comment section below!

    Text for Roundup Sections
    • Traditional Filipino Food
    • Around the World: Traditional Christmas Dishes
    Overhead shot of slices of Date and Walnut Bars, served with a cup of coffee.

    Food for the Gods Recipe

    Great for dessert or snacks, these Filipino Date and Walnut Bars are addictive.  Excellent with coffee or tea — you can even have a piece (or two) for breakfast!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: Filipino
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 45 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour
    Servings: 16
    Calories: 219kcal
    Author: Neriz

    Equipment

    • Mixing Bowls
    • Pyrex Measuring Cups
    • Measuring Spoons
    • Hand Mixer
    • Rubber Spatula
    • Angled Spatula
    • Brownie Pan (11-inch x 7-inch)

    Ingredients

    • 1/2 cup butter, unsalted, melted
    • 1/2 cup brown sugar, heaping
    • 1/2 cup syrup
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract
    • 2 large eggs
    • 1 cup flour
    • 1 tsp baking powder, heaping
    • 1/4 tsp salt
    • 1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
    • 1 cup dates, dried, pitted, roughly chopped

    Instructions

    • Start by preheating your oven to 180°C (350°F) and grease your baking pan with butter, as needed.
    • In a large bowl, combine and mix the melted butter, brown sugar, vanilla extract, syrup, and eggs.
    • Add flour, baking powder, and salt, then mix to combine.
    • Add chopped walnuts and dates, and gently mix with the rest of the ingredients.
    • Transfer batter into the prepared pan and use a slanted spatula to even the top.
    • Place pan in the middle of the oven for 20 minutes.
    • Adjust the oven temperature to 160°C (320°F) and continue baking for 20 to 25 minutes.
    • Take the pan out of the oven, let cool for about 15 minutes, then slice into bars. 
    • Food for the Gods is now all set for serving (or storing).

    Notes

    • Cook’s Tip #1: If you want your date and walnut bars to be dark, you need to use dark brown sugar and dark (or golden) syrup.
    • Cook’s Tip #2: Check that you don’t have lumps in your brown sugar before adding them into the batter. It’s more challenging to get rid of them once they’re in the batter.
    • Cook’s Tip #3: No need to line your pan with a baking sheet. It’s easy to remove the entire thing from the pan — ready for slicing and serving.
    • Recipe Variation #1: Use white sugar instead of brown sugar. Do note that it will affect the color of the bars.
    • Recipe Variation #2: Use raisins as an alternative to dates. But you might need to adjust the amount of sugar, depending on how sweet the raisins are.
    • Recipe Variation #3:For a (slightly) healthier option, use honey or molasses instead of syrup for this date bar recipe.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 219kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 131mg | Potassium: 121mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 213IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @foodandjourneys or tag #foodandjourneys!

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