Date Fudge Slice

How good are dates? On their own they're like the boss of dried fruit - rich and robust enough that you have to consider each one singularly... you're not going to pick up a handful and wolf them down. When they're simmered down into a gloopy mess and added to a baked treat, then they're damn near magical. Their taste becomes even more concentrated and establishes a chewy bassline that will anchor whatever melody the rest of your ingredients will perform.

The sticky sweetness of the dates works perfectly within a fudgy chocolate slice - you'll get the flavour profile but not the heaviness of caramel - and the fruit woven through the chocolate should offset the denseness of the crumb.

Top it all off with a crackly chocolate crust and you've got a decadent treat that's super simple to make and just as easy to treat yourself with a second slice.