Basically candy in health form.
These dates are so creamy and loaded with deliciousness that you might forget what it is you’re actually eating- a date.
Nadav(who is 1) is obsessed and I mean OBSESSED with these- I cut them into little pieces and I might admit that he ate half a tray of them once. I ate the other half. This is what happens when we are home alone together and recipe testing and we come up with something reallllyyy good.
Which happens often when dates are involved!!! and Lotus spread, and chocolate, and maple candied walnuts.
This is Nadav eating dates(and rocks if you look a little closer HAHA).
Just biting into one of these, hitting the chocolate crunch and then the real walnut crunch, and then sinking your teeth into sweet medjool date, is addictive.
Stuffed dates should last for a while(I think- they never actually last long in my house) because dates are great like that, so you can keep these in your fridge and satisfy your cravings anytime.
Because these “candies” are also really gorgeous you can serve them up as a dessert for hosting!!! Aren’t we always looking for make-ahead-desserts on the healthier side??! YES WE ARE.
To make: prep your ingredients.
1.Buy nice large, sweet Medjool dates- be sure they are soft and not dried up on the outsides. Remove the little hard piece at the top, open up and remove the pit. Check each date to make sure it is clean! If they rip into two pieces that’s okay- they are sticky and will hold together just fine.
2.With a spoon, mix together your filling- Lotus spread, peanut butter, and honey, until it is nice and creamy and begging to be eaten. It will beg, trust me.
3.Roast the walnuts- drizzle walnuts with maple syrup and roast or toast in the oven for a few minutes.
4.Melt chocolate- dark or milk(I used dark), in the microwave or in a double boiler. I keep the extra chocolate in an airtight container- I use these glass pyrex containers so when I want to make some dates, I can just take off the lid and pop the container into the micro!
Assemble all of your ingredients. Fill each date with filling, and press the two halves together. You want to put extra so it comes out at the top a little- and press a walnut or two- into the filling. This will keep the walnut in place.
Once all the dates are stuffed, drizzle dates with chocolate, and press another walnut into the top. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt, place on a parchment sheet and into the fridge to harden. Remove right before serving or snacking. Enjoy!
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Homemade Sandwich Bread (dairy free, big batch)
Ingredients
- 800 grams (6 1/2) cups Tipo 0 Manitoba strong flour
- 1 tablespoon instant yeast
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1/4 cup sugar 50g
- 2 cups Filtered water
- 1 egg
- 6 tablespoons neutral oil about 80g
- Egg wash for brushing
Instructions
- Add the flour, yeast, salt, and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer and mix briefly to combine, or use a big bowl and a whisk.
- Add the egg and begin kneading with the dough hook on low speed. Slowly pour in the water while the mixer is running. Once the dough comes together, add the oil gradually, allowing each addition to incorporate before adding more.If using a bowl, switch from the whisk to a spatula and once the dough comes together, knead by hand until no longer sticky(do not add more flour)
- Continue kneading for about 8–10 minutes, until the dough is smooth, soft, and elastic. It should feel slightly tacky but should mostly pull away from the sides of the bowl.
- Cover the bowl and let the dough rise for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- Turn the dough onto a clean work surface and gently press out the air. Divide the dough evenly into 3 pieces.
- Roll each piece into a rectangle. Roll the dough tightly into a log, starting from the short end, and pinch the seam closed. Place each loaf seam-side down in a greased 1-lb loaf pan.
- Cover and let rise again for about 30-45 minutes, or until the dough has risen and looks light and puffy.
- Brush the tops with beaten egg whisked with 1 tablespoon water.
- Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 25–30 minutes, until golden brown and the loaves sound hollow when tapped.
- Remove from the pans and let cool on a rack before slicing.
Yum yum! My mouth is watering just by looking at these clicks. I am gonna have to try it out your way asap.
Perfect new addition to our holiday get together this year!
and healthy too;)
I’ve never had dates with pb and lotus spread. These sound fabulous.
they are a perfect match!
I love dates just as they are but these are just next level. I haven’t had peanut butter with them before. It’s a match made in heaven.