Easy Date & Cinnamon Shortbread Recipe – Perfect Tea Time Treat

 

One of the things I really enjoyed in the over 20 years that I lived in the U.K. was going to National Trust properties.  Usually (but not always) they consisted of a beautiful historical house and gardens. In most cases there was always a gifts shop, and a tea-room or restaurant attached.  A place to relax and enjoy a hot drink and a cake or some other delicious bite after the exhaustion of walking through and exploring everything.

Their tea rooms are exemplary and are well known for their baked goods and sandwiches, soups, etc. Having a treat in the tearoom was always something that I looked forward to on these excursions, and the goods on offer usually had an historical context attached to whichever property we were visiting.

I really miss being able to visit places like this. There is nothing like that where I live now.

 

Today's recipe comes from the Vyne, a 16th century house in Hampshire. It has a working kitchen garden, the produce of which features on the menu of the restaurant. As well there is a very pretty tea garden.

Traditionally shortbread was not meant to be a really sweet biscuit/cookie. Short and crumbly, with a buttery almost sand-like texture, this bake gets almost all of its sweetness from an abundance of sticky pieces of chopped dates which pepper it in abundance.

These are very rich and go beautifully with a nice hot drink. I adapted the recipe from one I found in a cookbook I own entitled Good Old-Fashioned Teatime Treats as inspired by the National Trust and their properties and edited by Jane Pettigrew. A delightful little book, it contains more than 60 recipes having been gathered from the National Trust Properties which dot the U.K.

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE DATE & CINNAMON SHORTBREAD

There is nothing complicated here.

• 3 1/2 cups (350g) sifted plain, all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 cup + 1 1/2 TBS (250g) butter, softened
• 3/4 cup +2 tsp (175g) soft light brown sugar, packed and put through a sieve
• 1 1/4 cups (175g) stoned dates, chopped small

 

Make sure you use plain, all-purpose flour, NOT self-raising. There is no leavening to be used in these. That is what gives the characteristically short, crumbly texture to these.

I used Saigon ground cinnamon and salted butter.

I put the sugar through a sieve to remove any lumps from the sugar. As it not being creamed into the dough and is only being stirred into the flour and butter mixture after you have rubbed them together, this is important.

I used medjool date that I cut with a really sharp kitchen knife. I cut each date into quarters and then cut the quarters crosswise into smaller bits.

 

HOW TO MAKE DATE & CINNAMON SHORTBREAD

The rubbing in of the butter and the cutting of the dates into small pieces is a bit labor intensive, but, aside from the time taken, these not really very difficult things to do. The best things in life often require a bit of patience.

1. Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/gas mark 4. Butter a 7 X 11-inch Swiss roll tin and line with baking paper, leaving some overhang for lifting out. (See note below about pan sizes.)
2. Whisk the flour and cinnamon together in a large bowl. Drop in the butter and rub it into the flour mixture using your fingertips until the mixture resembles sand. (Just put some of your favorite music on to listen to and rub away. It will go quickly.)
3. Whisk in the brown sugar and the dates, mixing everything together very well. (Make sure your dates are chopped fairly small. A sharp knife makes short work of this.)
4. Tip the mixture into the prepared pan and press down firmly and evenly. You can use the bottom of a metal measuring cup or a palate knife to do this.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, until golden brown.
6. Leave to cool completely in the tin.
7. Lift out and cut into evenly sized fingers with a sharp knife.
8. Store in an airtight container. (I used an empty chocolate tin, lined with baking parchment, with more parchment between the layers.)

 

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS ABOUT THIS RECIPE

Can this be made ahead of time:  Certainly. This is the type of bake that keeps very well and can be made well ahead of the time you with to serve it.

Can this be frozen: Absolutely.  Cut into the fingers and then place into a tin or other airtight container which you have lined with baking parchment, placing baking parchment between the layers. They will keep for up to 3 months.

What kind of butter is used:  I used salted butter. As there is no salt in the recipe, this keeps this bake from tasting too bland.

Can I make the dough in a food processor: You could, up to the point of adding the sugar and the dates.  I believe for authenticity and the best texture, however, that you are better off rubbing the butter into the flour mixture by hand.

Must I sieve the sugar:  Only if you don't want lumps of brown sugar in your mixture. Sieving it removes that possibility and gives you a much nicer and more uniform result.

 

WHAT IS THE NATIONAL TRUST

Founded in 1895, the National Trust is a British institution which was begun with the purpose of preserving places of historic and national beauty for the enjoyment of the public. They operate as both a charitable and a membership organization which focuses on the conservation of parks, gardens, wetlands, and historic homes/castles/buildings across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Without their help many of these properties would have been lost forever.  You can read more about the National Trust here.

 

A FEW OTHER SWEET DELIGHTS

ADAPTED FROM NATIONAL TRUST SITES 

CORNISH BANANA CAKE - A deliciously moist banana cake layered with a buttery banana filling and iced with a cocoa banana icing. This authentic British Tea Cake originated in Cornwall and can be found in the National Trust Tea Rooms situated on the historic properties of Cornwall.

DOLBURY PUDDING - This steamed pudding recipe comes from the restaurant at Killerton, which is an 18th century house set in the countryside of East Devon, situated in the South West of the UK. It was so named as it is said to resemble Dolbury Hill which rises above the back on the house. What you have here is a beautifully moist and stodgy sponge cake, studded throughout with lots of lovely bits of apple and the fruit from the mincemeat which is used in the batter. This is delicious served warm with lashings of custard. 

  

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Yield: 16 fingers

Author: Marie Rayner

Date & Cinnamon Shortbread

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 45 Min

Everything a good shortbread biscuit/cookie should be. Not too sweet they are quite rich, with a short, buttery, crumbly texture. The sweetness comes from the dates which pepper these bars in abundance. Perfect to enjoy with a hot cup of tea.

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups (350g) sifted plain, all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 cup + 1 1/2 TBS (250g) butter, softened
• 3/4 cup +2 tsp (175g) soft light brown sugar, packed and put through a sieve
• 1 1/4 cups (175g) stoned dates, chopped small

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/gas mark 4. Butter a 7 X 11-inch Swiss roll tin and line with baking paper, leaving some overhang for lifting out. (See note below about pan sizes.)
2. Whisk the flour and cinnamon together in a large bowl. Drop in the butter and rub it into the flour mixture using your fingertips until the mixture resembles sand.
3. Whisk in the brown sugar and the dates, mixing everything together very well.
4. Tip the mixture into the prepared pan and press down firmly and evenly. You can use the bottom of a metal measuring cup or a palate knife to do this.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, until golden brown.
6. Leave to cool completely in the tin.
7. Lift out and cut into evenly sized fingers with a sharp knife.
8. Store in an airtight container.

Notes

The equivalent of a 7 x 11-inch pan can be achieved by using:

• One 9-inch round pan
• One 9 x 9-inch square pan

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Crisp Air-Fryer Skin-on Chicken Legs - Delectably Tender & Juicy

 

A while back I bought a large package of chicken leg quarters that I got for a fairly good price.  I brought it home and divided up into single pieces, wrapping each one individually in plastic wrap and then putting it into a small zip lock baggie. I then popped them all into a large zip lock baggie and into the freezer.  Double bagging. It's the best way to prevent freezer burn!

Dividing my meat and poultry up like that and freezing it individually means that any time I want to cook myself just one piece of meat or chicken, I can just thaw out one, or if I want more, I can thaw out more. When you are a person living on your own, these are the kinds of things that save money and time in the long run.

I took one out this morning and decided to cook it in my air fryer because it is hot as heck out there and humid. I did NOT want to turn on my oven. I am sure that if you are in North America at the moment, you can empathize! We are all in the same hot and sticky boat.

 

I borrowed this recipe from Kitchen Sanctuary. and downsized it to cook only one chicken leg quarter, because, there is only me in the house and I didn't want or need any more than that.

I was intrigued as it used baking powder to help to crisp up the skin. I wondered if you would be able to taste the baking powder in the end product, and amazingly, you do not. It did specify aluminum-free baking powder, so that is probably key to not tasting it.  

I have a real sensitivity to aluminum in the baking powder used in baked goods. It's like my cilantro. It makes my mouth feel all weird and that is all I can taste. That means that I enjoy very few ready-baked goods. If all I can taste is baking powder, it spoils the experience for me. I did add some paprika for color.

Altogether I was very pleased with how it came out. You do have to babysit it a bit by shaking it in the basket every 10 minutes, but that is basically all the effort it takes.  The air fryer does all the work, your kitchen stays nice and cool, and at the end you have a tasty piece of chicken with a crisp skin.  Juicy and delicious.

 

    WHAT YOU NEED TO

MAKE AIR FRYER CHICKEN LEG QUARTERS

Aside from an air fryer, only a few simple ingredients.  There is nothing complicated about this.

• 1 chicken leg quarter (a piece of chicken that is the thigh and leg joined together)
• 1/2 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp ground paprika

Mak sure you use an aluminum-free baking powder. Make sure you use baking powder and not baking soda. The two are not the same thing.  

You can use smaller pieces of bone in chicken, i.e. the legs and or the thighs.

Feel free to add your own combination of spices and herbs to make this your own.  Although the quantities are given for one chicken leg quarter, you can certainly multiply everything to air fryer as many pieces of chicken as you wish to cook. 

I don't recommend air frying any more than four at a time. My air fryer has two thin baskets that would enable you to cook in two layers.  What you don't want to do is to crowd anything.

 

HOW TO MAKE AIR FRYER 

CHICKEN LEG QUARTERS

It's not rocket science.

1. Preheat your air fryer to 400*F/200*C. (Only if your air fryer requires you to do so.)
2. Remove your chicken leg quarter from the packaging and pat dry with some paper kitchen toweling. (Don't skip this step as it is integral to the crispiness of your chicken skin.)
3. Whisk together the baking powder, salt, pepper and paprika. Sprinkle this all over the chicken coating it on both sides as best as you can. (Alternately you can shake the seasonings and the chicken together in a zip lock baggie.)
4. Place into the air fryer basket.
5. Cook for 35 to 40 minutes. Give the basket a shake every ten minutes. (Mine did not stick at all. No need to spray the basket first with any non-stick spray.)
6. When done the chicken should be golden brown and the internal temperature at its thickest point should register 165*F/75*C.

 

WHAT I ENJOYED ABOUT THIS RECIPE

• I enjoyed the fact that it went together quick and easily and didn't use a lot of complicated or hard to find ingredients.
• I enjoyed the fact that I didn't have to turn on my oven and my kitchen stayed nice and cool.
• I liked the crispy skin on the chicken. I was quite surprised that you could not taste the baking powder at all. For that reason, it is important that you use an aluminum free one.
• I love that you could easily tailor the seasonings used to things which you and your family really enjoy.
• The chicken was perfectly cooked without being dried out in the time it took to cook. 
• You can easily multiply the ingredients to make as many chicken leg quarters as you wish, or even a combination of smaller cuts, ie. legs, thighs.
• Simple, simple, simple.

 

WHY I THINK YOU WILL ENJOY THIS RECIPE

1. These chicken leg quarters are quick and easy to make without a lot of effort and a load of dishes to wash afterwards.

2. Your kitchen will stay nice and cool.

3. They cook simply and quickly without any frying in oil. This makes them healthier than conventional fried chicken.

4.  The end result is chicken that is succulent and juicy inside with a crisp and flavor-filled skin on the outside. Not greasy in the least.  Super juicy and flavor-filled!

 

DELICIOUS SIDES 

TO SERVE WITH THESE CHICKEN LEGS

FRENCH ONION RICE - My sister and I fell in love with this delicious rice dish the very first time we made it. This has become a favorite in both of our households. This savory rice dish combines what we love about French Onion Soup with the heartiness of rice. It is really tasty and not at all difficult to make. I cannot think of anything it wouldn't go with. I could actually sit and eat just a dish of this and be quite happy.

PERFECTLY CREAMY MASHED POTATOES - Nothing goes better on the side of anything than a pile of fluffy and creamy mashed potatoes. Top with gravy or a pat of butter and you have the perfect side!

DILLED CARROTS - Julienned carrots are cooked first in some butter for a few minutes. You then add some chicken stock, honey and dill, cover and cook them for a few minutes longer, until they are lightly glazed and crispy tender.

SWEET POTATO BROCCOLI & CHEESE BAKE - Colorful, delicious and filled with fiber. This dish is low in fat and high in taste!  Well, so long as you use a low-fat cheese.  If you are not watching your fat, by all means use the full fat cheese.

  

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Yield: 1 serving

Author: Marie Rayner

Air Fryer Crispy Chicken Leg Quarters

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 40 MinTotal time: 45 Min

These come out nice and crispy without being dried out. A good basic chicken leg quarter. Quantities are given for one. You can multiply to cook as many as you wish.

Ingredients

• 1 chicken leg quarter (a piece of chicken that is the thigh and leg joined together)
• 1/2 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp ground paprika

Instructions

1. Preheat your air fryer to 400*F/200*C.
2. Remove your chicken leg quarter from the packaging and pat dry with some paper kitchen toweling.
3. Whisk together the baking powder, salt, pepper and paprika. Sprinkle this all over the chicken coating it on both sides as best as you can.
4. Place into the air fryer basket.
5. Cook for 35 to 40 minutes. Give the basket a shake every ten minutes.
6. When done the chicken should be golden brown and the internal temperature at it's thickest point should register 165*F/75*C.

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Crispy Chicken Wraps - A Quick, Easy and Delicious Lunch

 

I wanted something quick and easy for my lunch today. There is another heat warning in effect for today. Typical summer weather. I am not wanting to put on my oven and so am making great use of my air fryer. I am also not wanting to eat anything particularly heavy.  My father is coming for supper, so I am saving my big meal for later in the day when he is here.

Crispy Chicken Wraps are a quick, easy and delicious option to make for a day like today. Not only do they go together very quickly, but you can cook the chicken pieces in the air fryer while you are prepping any vegetables, keeping the kitchen nice and cool.

 

These crispy chicken wraps are loaded with simple ingredients.  Crispy chicken fillets. You could of course make these from scratch, but I have taken advantage of some really delicious frozen ones that I enjoy.

These are cooked in the air fryer and then combined in a tasty wheat tortilla wrap with some crisp iceberg lettuce, chopped spring onions and creamy ranch dressing, making for the perfect light lunch.

You could of course also serve these as a delicious supper dish by simply adding some frozen chips, potato chips or coleslaw on the side. 

With a cheeky dish of ice-cream to finish these would make the perfect light meal to enjoy on a hot and sticky day!

INGREDIENTS NEEDED

TO MAKE CRISPY CHICKEN WRAPS

There is nothing really complicated about these delicious wraps. You could of course make your chicken tenders from scratch. I have a low-fat, guilt-free recipe here.

• 4 breaded chicken tenders, cooked according to package directions
• two medium flour tortilla wraps
• 1 medium tomato, cored and sliced
• 1 cup of chopped iceberg lettuce
• 1 spring onion, trimmed and chopped (scallions, green onions), optional
• 2 TBS prepared ranch dressing, or to taste

As you can see, I use the Schneiders brand Original Crispy Chicken Tenders. I like these, they are whole pieces of chicken, not ground up chicken. The coating is also very nice, crisp and not greasy.  I cooked mine in the air fryer.  (20 minutes at 400*F/200*C. flipping them halfway through the cook time.)

I used a good brand of flour tortillas. I didn't have medium, only 12-inch ones and 6-inch ones. I deemed the 6-inch ones to be too small and so went with the 12.  They turned out to be the perfect size, with plenty of room to tuck in the ends for a much neater eating experience.

The field tomatoes didn't look so good at the farm marker when I went to pick my tomatoes and so I just bought greenhouse tomatoes. If you grow your own tomatoes they would be ideal. Just cut the tomatoes in half, core and then slice thinly into half-moons.

You could use whole lettuce leaves if you wish and if you are lucky enough to have some nice crisp outer leaves available. I had only the center of a head of iceberg lettuce and so I chopped mine. A bit messier to eat, but just as tasty.

The spring onions are totally optional. I thought they would add a lovely touch of sharpness and some more color. Leave them out by all means if you are not a fan.

I used a good, bottled ranch dressing and, I confess, I was a bit heavy-handed with it. You do you!

HOW TO PREPARE

CRISPY CHICKEN WRAPS

As you can see, there is nothing really complicated about these!  Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

1. Cook your chicken tenders according to the instructions on the package. I used my air fryer. (400*F/200*C for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through the cook time.)
2. Chop your lettuce, slice your tomatoes and chop your spring onions. (The onions are optional and if you wish you can leave the lettuce leaves whole.)
3. Lay two tortillas out flat. Place two chicken tenders, slightly off center on each, head to tail. (You should not need to overlap them according to the size of the tortilla and the chicken pieces. If they are overly large, you may need to overlap.)
4. Sprinkle the lettuce, sliced tomatoes and spring onions over top of the chicken tenders. Drizzle with the ranch dressing. (Admittedly I did use a fair bit, but you can use as little or as much as you need or want.)
5. Wrap up tightly, folding in the sides, and wrapping everything up snugly.
6. Cut in halves or thirds on the diagonal and serve either hot or at room temperature.

 

OPTIONAL VARIATIONS

&

SUGGESTIONS

• You could add a few strips of cooked streaky bacon. This would make for a Crispy Chicken BLT Wrap.
• You can vary the type of tortilla wrap used. Spinach or tomato ones are nice as are whole grain.
• Not a fan of tomatoes?  You can use thinly sliced bell peppers in their place.
• Sprinkle the chicken tenders with your favorite seasoning before cooking them to vary the flavor. Cajun seasoning is nice, as is lemon pepper. I like the Kinder's seasonings. The butter/garlic one is a real favorite.
• You can add any fresh ingredients that you enjoy. Chopped olives, pickles, hot peppers, etc. Your wrap, your way!
• Vary the dressing used.  Catalina French is a delicious option. 

The main thing is to have fun with this and tailor these tasty wraps according to what you and your family enjoy and to what you have on hand!  The food we eat is meant to be enjoyed!

 

STORING LEFTOVERS

I would only store leftover assembled sandwiches if I was going to be eating them on the same day. 

If you are wanting to prepare everything ahead of time, simply cook the chicken and prep the vegetables, storing them in separate containers or baggies to assemble just prior to eating. You can quickly reheat the chicken tenders in the microwave until heated through, or (to really crisp them up) in the air fryer.

 

A FEW OTHER QUICK AND EASY

HOT SANDWICHES TO ENJOY

SOUTH CAROLINA BIRD DOG SANDWICHES - This delicious sandwich is the perfect marriage of bacon, chicken tenders, cheese and honey mustard.  Or, as I have also seen it described, the perfect option for those who don't like hot dogs! I can't imagine not liking hotdogs myself, but it takes all kinds! The original sandwich comes from a restaurant in Anderson, South Carolina called Daddy Rabbitt's over 25 years ago. That original diner is no longer in operation, but the sandwich lives on!

HOT ITALIAN HOAGIES - I wish I could tell you how many times I have made these delicious hot sandwiches.  They were something I used to make for the missionaries when they would come for supper in the U.K. A little taste of home.  They are quick and very simple to make. As easy as layering simple ingredients into split fresh buns and baking in the oven.  The sub buns are spread with a parmesan garlic butter before laying with a selection of Italian Cold Cuts, spicy pickles and some cheese.  Baked in the oven until everything is heated through and the cheese all melty, nothing goes down better!  These are quite simply fabulous!

  

 Don't forget to Pin this recipe to your Chicken, Main Dish, or Sandwich Boards on Pinterest and remember to FOLLOW ME ON PINTEREST, FACEBOOK or INSTAGRAM. 

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Yield: Two servings

Author: Marie Rayner

Crispy Chicken Wraps

Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 5 MinTotal time: 25 Min

Although this recipe makes only two delicious servings, it can easily be multiplied to serve more. This makes a quick and delicious lunch or light supper. No fuss, no muss, summer food!

Ingredients

• 4 breaded chicken tenders, cooked according to package directions
• two medium flour tortilla wraps
• 1 medium tomato, cored and sliced
• 1 cup of chopped iceberg lettuce
• 1 spring onion, trimmed and chopped (scallions, green onions), optional
• 2 TBS prepared ranch dressing, or to taste

Instructions

1. Cook your chicken tenders according to the instructions on the package. I used my air fryer. (400*F/200*C for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through the cook time.)
2. Chop your lettuce, slice your tomatoes and chop your spring onions.
3. Lay two tortillas out flat. Place two chicken tenders, slightly off center on each, head to tail.
4. Sprinkle the lettuce, sliced tomatoes and spring onions over top of the chicken tenders. Drizzle with the ranch dressing.
5. Wrap up tightly, folding in the sides, and wrapping everything up snugly.
6. Cut in halves or thirds on the diagonal and serve either hot or at room temperature.

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Did you make this recipe?

Tag @marierayner5530 on instagram and hashtag it #TheEnglishKitchen

This content, written and photography, is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.

 

Thanks for visiting! Do come again!! 

 If you like what you see here, why not consider signing up for my newsletter and/or subscribing to/following me on Grow? You can also bookmark my recipes via the Grow platform. Check out the heart on the right-hand side of the screen.