Chewy Apple Date Muesli Slice

Slices like this one come from the lunchbox and the morning tea table, where a square of something chewy and not too sweet was always welcome. The base here is worth a moment of attention. Grated apple, skin and all, simmers with dates into a thick paste, and that paste does the job that butter or eggs would do in a cake. The skin matters more than you might think: it breaks down into the mixture and adds colour and a little tartness, so there is no need to peel the apples.

A quick fact about dates, since they carry so much of the sweetness here. They are the fruit of a palm, and they are naturally rich in soluble fibre and sugars, which is why a small amount goes a long way in a bake like this. Cooking them down with the apple softens the texture completely, so you get a sticky binder rather than chunks you have to chew around.

Toasting the muesli is the step people skip, and it is the one I would not skip. Five minutes in a dry frypan over low heat turns flat, raw-tasting flakes into something nutty and golden. Keep an eye on it and stir often, because it can go from golden to scorched quickly. Sifting the flours is also worth doing, mainly so that the husk from the wholemeal flour ends up back in the bowl rather than in the tin.

Once the slice has cooled completely in its tin, it cuts cleanly. Cutting it while it is still warm will leave you with crumbly edges. Stored in an airtight tin at room temperature, it keeps for several days, and it also freezes well in layers separated by baking paper. A square thawed on the bench is a nice mid-afternoon snack with a cup of tea.

For something to serve alongside, a spoonful of plain Greek yoghurt or ricotta works beautifully, and the cool tang suits the cinnamon. If you want to build a small spread, these recipes sit well alongside it: Cinnamon Banana Oat Bran Muffins make a good brunch companion, and Warm Oat and Pecan Stuffed Apples echo the apple and cinnamon flavours if you want something warm and spoonable on a cold morning.

Leftover grated apple is worth a thought too. If you make the date paste on a day when you have a spare apple, the mixture will keep in the fridge for a couple of days and can be stirred into porridge or spread on toast. It is a small thing, but it means the baking earns its keep twice.