Begin by lining a 20 x 20cm square tin with grease proof paper.
Place the dates and water to a saucepan, heat to a gentle simmer and crush and stir for up to 10 minutes until smooth. Remove from the heat and leave to cool to room temperature. Whilst this is cooking, you can make the crumble layers. The date mixture will take 30-40 minutes to cool down.
In a food processor, tip in the flour, oats and then add the coconut oil in small blobs about the size of a cherry. Pulse until loose breadcrumbs form, then add in the salt and sugar and pulse again to combine.
[If you don’t have a food processor, you can rub the flour and coconut oil together to form breadcrumbs, then add the oats, sugar and salt.]
Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/GM4.. Tip half the crumble mixture into the tin, and press down gently with the back of a spoon to make an even bottom layer.
Add spoonfuls of the date mixture evenly on top, and gently spread them to form the date layer in the middle.
With the remaining crumble topping, drizzle the 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil randomly, then mix loosely to create clumps – don’t mix too much or you will lose the ‘crumble’ look. Place in spoonfuls on top of the date layer and spread around to cover.
Place in the oven for approximately 40 minutes until golden brown around the edges. Remove from the oven, and cool in the tin. When completely cold, cut into 16 portions.