Gooey Salty Chocolate-Date Bars

YIELDS 16 SQUARES

Crust

• 1 cup flour
• ⅓ cup confectioners’ sugar
• 2½ Tbsp cocoa powder
• pinch salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup canola oil

Date Filling

• 12 Medjool dates, pitted
• 2 tsp instant coffee granules
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water

Topping

• ½ cup chocolate chips
• ½ tsp coarse sea salt
• vanilla ice cream, for serving
• pomegranate arils, for serving

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8-inch (20×20-cm) baking pan with parchment paper.

To make the filling: In a small bowl, place dates, coffee, cinnamon, and vanilla. Pour boiling water over the mixture, making sure all the dates are submerged. Set aside.

Meanwhile, mix all crust ingredients together in a bowl. Press the resulting dough into the bottom of the prepared pan.

Without draining the filling, use a spoon (or an immersion blender, but I prefer mundane utensils) to mash the date mixture until it’s nice and smooth. Don’t worry if there are a few chunks of dates in there.