Sticky Toffee Pudding Bars

Sticky Toffee Pudding Bars ~

250g ( 1 1/3 cups) pitted dates, chopped roughly
1 tsp baking soda
215g unsalted butter, divided (a scant cup, 9/10 to be exact)
185g ( 1 1/2 cups) self raising flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking powder
3 large eggs
90 ml (1/3) cup milk, divided

Frosting:
2 TBS soft light brown sugar, packed
90g (3/4 cup) sifted icing sugar
90g (3/4 cup) chopped toasted walnuts

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F. Lightly grease a 9 inch square baking pan and line the bottom with parchment baking paper. ( make sure it hangs well over two sides so that you can just lift the bars out to cut when finished)

Place the dates into a saucepan with 200 ml of water ( about 7 fluid ounces). Bring to the boil, and then reduce the heat and allow to simmer for about 10 minutes, gently. Make sure the water doesn't completely evaporate. Add the baking soda, and set aside to cool.

Place 185g (8/10 of a cup) of the butter, the flour, vanilla, baking powder, eggs, and 75 ml (1/3 cup)of the milk into the bowl of a food processor and mix together in short bursts for 1 minutes, until well blended. Add the dates and pulse again to blend. Do not over process.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Set aside to cool.

To make the frosting combine the remaining butter, the brown sugar, and remaining milk into a small sauce pan. Heat gently to dissolve the sugar. Add the icing sugar and mix together well. Spread over the cooled cake mixture and sprinkle with the toasted walnuts.

Cut into squares to serve.