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Prep time
20 minutes
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Cook time
10 minutes
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Makes
24 stuffed dates (easily doubled)
Author Notes
Why are stuffed (or wrapped) dates so delicious? For me, eaten alone, dates are almost too decadent – chewy with a cloying sweetness that likes to linger. Wrap dates in a cured pork or fill them with tangy goat cheese and it is a match made in heaven! I first had something like this years ago at a potluck and have been making variations of it ever since. I think this particular candied pecan recipe achieves the perfect balance of savory, sweet, spice and crunch. Whenever I make these, I get looks of pleasant surprise from the uninitiated and knowing smiles from those familiar with them. I especially like making these during the holiday season. Note: This recipe makes more pecans than stuffed dates; store extra pecans in an airtight container and they will keep for about a week. - gingerroot —gingerroot
Test Kitchen Notes
Yes, gingerroot just entered these beauties in our Open House contest but we've long had our eye on them. The thyme-spiked chevre and crackly spiced pecans are perfect foils for sticky sweet Medjool dates. Amanda called them "thirsty-making" and therefore ideal for an open house. Notes: We liked ours packed with goat cheese, and advise doubling the filling amounts (if you're chevre devils like us). You might also want to go scant on the 1/4 cup of agave, to avoid runoff and concentrate the spice. - A&M —The Editors
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Ingredients
- for the candied pecans
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2 teaspoons
Chinese five-spice powder
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1/4 teaspoon
cayenne (up to 1/2 teaspoon, depending on heat preference)
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1/4 cup
light agave
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1 cup
pecan halves
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1 pinch
sea salt
- for the dates
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1 teaspoon
dried thyme
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1 teaspoon
orange or tangerine zest
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1/2 cup
soft goat cheese (such as Montrachet), set in a bowl at room temperature to soften a bit
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24
Medjool dates, pitted by making a slit down the center and removing the pit, keeping the date as intact as possible
Directions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
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Prepare baking sheet by lining with parchment paper and set aside.
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Combine spices in a small bowl and stir to mix.
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Pour agave into small metal bowl or pie pan. Set bowl or pan over saucepan with small amount of boiling water for about a minute. This will make the agave easier to work with. Remove bowl or pan from heat.
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Add pecans to agave and toss to coat.
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Add spices to pecans and toss to coat.
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Spread pecans on prepared baking sheet in a single layer.
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Cook in the oven for 10 minutes, checking and stirring (agave should be bubbling) once or twice with a wooden spoon. Pecans should be fragrant and golden brown. Be careful not to burn the pecans.
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Remove pan from oven. As they cool, sprinkle pecans with a pinch of sea salt. Slowly begin separate the pecans from the parchment. If the pecans seem sticky, let them cool a little longer. When finished they should have a hard shell and a nice crunch.
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Mix thyme and orange zest into softened goat cheese, stirring to combine evenly.
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Using a sharp knife, make a slit in the top of each date and carefully remove the pit. Stuff dates with about 1/2 teaspoon of goat cheese, give or take some to fill the date.
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Top each stuffed date with a candied pecan. Arrange on serving platter and watch them disappear!
My most vivid childhood memories have to do with family and food. As a kid, I had the good fortune of having a mom who always encouraged trying new things, and two grandmothers who invited me into their kitchens at a young age. I enjoy cooking for the joy it brings me - sharing food with loved ones - and as a stress release. I turn to it equally during good times and bad. Now that I have two young children, I try to be conscientious about what we cook and eat. Right about the time I joined food52, I planted my first raised bed garden and joined a CSA; between the two I try to cook as sustainably and organically as I can. Although I'm usually cooking alone, my children are my favorite kitchen companions and I love cooking with them. I hope when they are grown they will look back fondly at our time spent in the kitchen, as they teach their loved ones about food-love.
Best of all, after years on the mainland for college and graduate school, I get to eat and cook and raise my children in my hometown of Honolulu, HI. When I'm not cooking, I am helping others grow their own organic food or teaching schoolchildren about art.
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