MEDJOOL DATES RECIPES RECIPES

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4.
  2. Put the tea bags into a jug, cover with 150ml of boiling water and leave to steep for 3½ minutes. Meanwhile, destone the dates and put into a food processor with the cinnamon and ginger, then finely grate in half the nutmeg. Scoop out the tea bags and pour the tea over the dates, pushing them down so they’re submerged. Leave them to soak with the lid on for 10 minutes. Add the roasted pumpkin or squash, then blitz to a purée, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides, which will help it along.
  3. Butter and lightly flour a 26cm Bundt tin or a 20cm x 30cm baking dish. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugars together using a wooden spoon. Beat in the eggs, one by one then, using a large metal spoon, stir in the flour and fold in the puréed dates. Pour the pudding mixture into your chosen receptacle, then bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.
  4. When your pudding is almost ready, make the sauce. Cube the butter and melt in a small pan on a medium heat. Add both the sugars, then, once nicely mixed, carefully add the rum (it may splatter) and double cream. Bring to the boil, then simmer for around 5 minutes, or until a lovely deep golden colour.
  5. As soon as the pudding is out of the oven, if using a Bundt tin, flip out onto a platter and brush all over with enough sauce to form a delicate, crispy surface but also keep your sponge nice and bouncy. Or, if you’re traybaking it in a dish, poke small holes in the top and pour over one-third of the sauce. Sprinkle with a little sea salt for contrast, and serve with the remaining sauce on the side (or save for another day) and a little double cream, Greek yoghurt, ice cream or custard, if you like.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
• Cut the bacon in half lengthwise to make twice as many slices. Set aside. To remove the pits from the dates, cut the tips off each end of the dates and insert the flat end of the skewer until it pushes the pit out of the date. Repeat with remaining dates.
• Place the ricotta in the bottom corner of a strong plastic bag and seal tightly. Use scissors to cut a small hole in the tip of 1 of the corners. Now use the bag like a piping bag to fill the dates with the cheese.
• Wrap the ricotta stuffed dates with a slice of bacon and secure with a toothpick through the belly of the date. Arrange all the prepared dates on a parchment-lined baking sheet, allowing at least a little space between each one for good browning. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes or until bacon is browned and crispy. Remove from the baking sheet and gently remove toothpicks. Serve immediately.