Food for the Gods, A Filipino Heavenly Treat

I remember the first time I saw this treat. It was at my aunt and uncle’s bakery. They were wrapped in red and green cellophane. I was told it’s because these treats are usually given out during Christmas time in the Philippines. My aunt gave me and my daughter, who was about 3 years old at the time, a piece to try. I remember how delicious it was.

Food for the Gods contains dates and walnuts. It is rich and decadent. It has the consistency of a brownie with a little bit of a crunch on the outside and chewy on the inside. It is buttery goodness and you can taste the butter in every bite. I’m not sure why it’s called Food for the Gods, but I’m assuming it has to do with the amount of dates and walnuts in it.

It’s very easy to make. It’s usually made during Christmas or closer to the holiday season to hand out as treats. I was given the recipe by my friend, Grace. She makes it every year and we all look forward to it. She recently made a batch. It tasted like heaven… maybe that’s why it’s called Food for the Gods 🙂

It’s almost time for the holidays, so now more than ever is the best time to share this recipe.

Food for the Gods Recipe:

2 eggs

1.125 cups of sugar

1 cup melted butter

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup chopped dates

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup all-purpose flour

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 13x9x2 rectangular pan. Set aside. In a bowl, beat eggs lightly. Add sugar, butter, walnuts and dates. In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients and fold into batter. Spread on prepared pan. Bake for 50 minutes at 350 F in a water bath. Remove from water bath and continue to bake for 10 more minutes on rack. Cut into bars while warm.

Happy Baking!