Stuffed Dates

I need an assist. My grandmother made stuffed dates with fondant and then rolled them in sugar. I was fortunate to inherit her recipe box and have scoured it for the recipe without success.

I do have a recipe for mincemeat, beef, suet, molasses... if anyone is interested. But could not find her recipe for these dates.

I have found a couple of recipes online, but wondered if anyone has the old time version.

Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving.

No, I'm sorry, I never stuffed them with fondant, but I have stuffed them with walnuts, almonds, almond paste, cream cheese and rolled them in sugar or coconut flakes.

I've stuffed dates with a piece of little smokie sausage, then wrap with bacon. Then bake. Can't stop eating them when you start!!!!

Stuff dates with Roquefort or Gorgonzola cheese ... Wrap with bacon ... Bake . Fabulous !

I have a recipe someplace for the old-time fondant but will have to wait until this weekend to look for it. If I find it, I'll post it for you.

quote:

Originally posted by iqdiva

Stuff dates with Roquefort or Gorgonzola cheese ... Wrap with bacon ... Bake . Fabulous !

Jqdiva, I bet you'd like these dates I make for parties. (Sorry the photo is all blurry.)

SAVORY DATE RUGELACH – makes 4 dozen

1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups walnuts, divided
4 oz. blue cheese, cut into cubes
48 pitted dates (about 12 oz.)
1 large egg white
1 tsp. water

Dough:
In large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat butter and cream cheese until creamy. Stir in flour and salt just until blended (or use mixer on low speed). Divide dough into 4 equal pieces; flatten each into a disk. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

Filling:
In food processor with knife blade attached, pulse 1/2 cup walnuts until finely chopped; reserve in small bowl. In same food processor, pulse blue cheese and remaining 1 cup of walnuts 7 to 8 times or until a coarse mixture forms.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large cookie sheets with foil; grease foil.

On floured surface with floured rolling pin, roll 1 disk of dough into a 10-inch round. Cut into 12 equal wedges. Beginning 1 inch from outside edge, sprinkle 1/2 cup blue cheese mixture in 2 –inch wide ring on dough, leaving dough exposed in center. Place one whole date crosswise on wide end of each wedge. Starting at wide end, roll up each wedge, jelly-roll fashion.

Place rugelach, 1 inch apart, on cookie sheets, point side down. Repeat with remaining four dough disks. In small bowl, beat egg white and water. Brush rolls with egg white and sprinkle with reserved walnuts.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until golden, rotating sheets between upper and lower racks halfway through baking. Let stand for a minute or two and then transfer to wire racks to cool. Store in a tightly covered container at room temperature up to 3 days.

To make ahead: Arrange unbaked rugelach in single layer in jelly roll pan; cover and freeze until firm. Remove from pan and place in freezer containers with waxed paper in between each layer. Seal and freeze up to 3 months. About 45 minutes before serving, preheat oven to 350. Line 2 large cookie sheets with foil; grease foil. Arrange frozen rugelach on prepared cookie sheets and bake 35 to 40 minutes or until golden.

RubyRose , one word comes to mind regarding those beautiful & delicious hors d'oeuvres of yours ... YUM !

Susan, here's the recipe my mom used to use for stuffed dates. I checked through it and don't see where to add the vanilla. It looks like you'd knead it in during that step.

FONDANT

2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup water
2 Tbs. clear corn syrup
1 tsp. vanilla

Put the sugar, corn syrup and water in saucepan and heat slowly. Do not let it begin to boil until the sugar is dissolved. Wash down the sides of the pan with a fork wrapped in a damp cloth or else cover and cook for two or three minutes so that the steam will carry down the crystals that have been thrown on the side of the pan. Remove the cover and continue to boil slowly without stirring to the soft-ball stage (238 degrees F.) While cooking, keep the cover on part of the time so the steam can help keep the crystals washed down.

Remove from the heat and pour at once onto large platters or slabs which have been dipped into cold water, and let it stand until it is lukewarm. Stir with a spatula or a fork until it is creamy; then knead with hands until it is smooth and free from lumps.

Fondant is better if allowed to ripen for several days before being used. It may be wrapped in waxed paper and put into a tightly covered jar. When it is to be used for centers of dipped bonbons, the centers should be shaped by hand or in molds and be allowed to stand in the air until the surface loses all stickiness, Then the shapes may be dipped into the coating.

CANDIES MADE FROM FONDANT

Stuffed dates or prunes – Stone dates or prunes, slit the side and stuff them with fondant. It can be colored pink and/or flavored with rose water. A whole nut meat should be inserted with the fondant.

Tutti-Frutti – Knead fondant and flavor with cherry or almond extract. Knead into it one-third its amount of a mixture of raisins, dates, figs, candied cherries, citron, orange-peel or other candied fruits, which have been finely chopped together. Shape into a flat cake and cut after it stands for an hour.

Wintergreen creams – Melt a portion of fondant in the upper part of a double boiler until it is soft enough to drop from a spoon. It may be necessary to add a few drops of hot water. Color it with red vegetable coloring to a delicate pink. Flavor with oil of wintergreen. Stir until it is creamy. Drop from a teaspoon onto oiled paper.

Chocolate Bonbons – Melt very slowly a good quality of specially prepared dipping chocolate, sweetened or unsweetened, in the top of a double boiler. Do not heat the water under the chocolate above 120 degrees F., for overheating spoils chocolate for dipping. Stir it constantly while it is melting to keep an even temperature and after it has melted, beat it thoroughly. Keep the heat very low during the dipping process. To dip centers, use a fork or confectioner’s dipper. Drop centers in one at a time and when covered place on oiled paper. The room in which dipping is done should be cool, so that the chocolate may harden quickly

quote:

Originally posted by RubyRose

I have a recipe someplace for the old-time fondant but will have to wait until this weekend to look for it. If I find it, I'll post it for you.

quote:

Originally posted by iqdiva

Stuff dates with Roquefort or Gorgonzola cheese ... Wrap with bacon ... Bake . Fabulous !

Jqdiva, I bet you'd like these dates I make for parties. (Sorry the photo is all blurry.)

SAVORY DATE RUGELACH – makes 4 dozen

1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups walnuts, divided
4 oz. blue cheese, cut into cubes
48 pitted dates (about 12 oz.)
1 large egg white
1 tsp. water

Dough:
In large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat butter and cream cheese until creamy. Stir in flour and salt just until blended (or use mixer on low speed). Divide dough into 4 equal pieces; flatten each into a disk. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

Filling:
In food processor with knife blade attached, pulse 1/2 cup walnuts until finely chopped; reserve in small bowl. In same food processor, pulse blue cheese and remaining 1 cup of walnuts 7 to 8 times or until a coarse mixture forms.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large cookie sheets with foil; grease foil.

On floured surface with floured rolling pin, roll 1 disk of dough into a 10-inch round. Cut into 12 equal wedges. Beginning 1 inch from outside edge, sprinkle 1/2 cup blue cheese mixture in 2 –inch wide ring on dough, leaving dough exposed in center. Place one whole date crosswise on wide end of each wedge. Starting at wide end, roll up each wedge, jelly-roll fashion.

Place rugelach, 1 inch apart, on cookie sheets, point side down. Repeat with remaining four dough disks. In small bowl, beat egg white and water. Brush rolls with egg white and sprinkle with reserved walnuts.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until golden, rotating sheets between upper and lower racks halfway through baking. Let stand for a minute or two and then transfer to wire racks to cool. Store in a tightly covered container at room temperature up to 3 days.

To make ahead: Arrange unbaked rugelach in single layer in jelly roll pan; cover and freeze until firm. Remove from pan and place in freezer containers with waxed paper in between each layer. Seal and freeze up to 3 months. About 45 minutes before serving, preheat oven to 350. Line 2 large cookie sheets with foil; grease foil. Arrange frozen rugelach on prepared cookie sheets and bake 35 to 40 minutes or until golden.

Wonderful. I plan to make these for Christas.

thanks very much.

I certainly enjoy stuffed dates and I have had them many times but unfortunately, due to economic times, I cannot do that any longer. I now require my dates to contribute to stuffing themselves.

I do not have many dates that want to stuff themselves with me although I am searching. I am a little bit like WJ as I have my requirements as I am sure they do also. I may not qualify as I am getting a bit old but some may like my qualifications. Those that do can see my pic on the main page with the folks under "meet the road food team"

http://www.roadfood.com/FAQ/TheRoadfoodTeam.aspx

Regardless, stuffed dates sound to me like a very tasty treat for the holidays.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

quote:

Originally posted by Sundancer7

I certainly enjoy stuffed dates and I have had them many times but unfortunately, due to economic times, I cannot do that any longer. I now require my dates to contribute to stuffing themselves.

I do not have many dates that want to stuff themselves with me although I am searching. I am a little bit like WJ as I have my requirements as I am sure they do also. I may not qualify as I am getting a bit old but some may like my qualifications. Those that do can see my pic on the main page with the folks under "meet the road food team"

http://www.roadfood.com/FAQ/TheRoadfoodTeam.aspx

Regardless, stuffed dates sound to me like a very tasty treat for the holidays.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

There were many suggestions on this thread for stuffing a date but it appears that she ended up unstuffed.

http://www.roadfood.com/Forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=30601

I had an aunt who used to stuff dates with peanut butter and roll them in sugar - loved them as a child - dont think I've had one since i was ten years old...

Cheers, John