I haven’t a clue as to why we Filipinos call date bars food for the gods (fftg). As far as the rest of the world is concerned, the food for (or of!) the gods is chocolate. Still, it can’t be denied that a good food for the gods is sheer heaven. It must be the way the brown sugar and butter mix and mingle, tickle the nose and luxuriate on the tongue. The addition of dates assures a subtle moistness while corn syrup and molasses assure chew.

I suddenly received a rush of requests for a good fftg recipe. I’m not sure why, although I’ve been writing about it all month – it’s a steady offering in the repertoire of almost all the home bakers I’ve featured here.

Unlike other things I’ve baked, the two fftg recipes I’ve tried have been winners. The recipe I share here is of the ‘dump and mix’ sort. Just use a whisk or a sturdy spatula to incorporate everything – a mixer will ruin the texture of this bar cookie. My own food for the gods turned out quite thin as you can see in the photos, but if you use the pan(s) called for, they’ll turn out more substantial.

Contrary to popular choice, I prefer to eat my food for the gods warm; that’s when they’re chewy around the edges and there’s just enough of that ooey-gooey factor to delight. Most people however, prefer them straight from the fridge. I just don’t like to eat these bars at room temperature. They become too mushy.

Food for the Gods
aka “damn good date bars”
Yields 12-15 bars depending on size
Adapted from a recipe of culinary expert Dorothy Ferreria

1 cup or 6 ozs. dates
1 cup butter
2 large eggs
¾ cup brown sugar
½ cup white sugar
1 tablespoon each molasses and light corn syrup
1 ¼ cups AP flour
½ tsp salt
½ tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease an 8×10 or 9×9 baking pan. Set aside

Put dates in a small saucepan and add just enough water to cover. Once water has come to a simmer, let simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off heat. When dates have cooled, coarsely chop them up. Set aside.

Microwave butter in a large bowl. Stir until fully melted, then add in eggs, both sugars, and the syrups. Set aside.

On a sheet of wax paper, sift the remaining dry ingredients and then pour into the wet mixture. Stir only until no white specks of flour remain. Add the dates. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the surface has set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it. Let cool. Chill before cutting into squares for easier handling.