Date Balls

 

D is for delicious, dangerous, date balls.  Sugar plums by another name.  (Not just for a Christmas poem or the Nutcracker suite.)  These sweet little dainties are good for any special occasion, or perhaps just an especial indulgence.  And definitely good alphabet challenge cooking.

If you particularly love sticky toffee pudding, this flavor will be impossible to resist.  The cereal is flexible: I actually ran short on chex and finished it up by volume with quinoa crispies.

Hubby has declared these dangerously addictive, I will likely never make more than a half batch because we can't stay out of them!  Since hubby sugars out fast, that's a strong endorsement for how good these are.  Youngest gave them two thumbs up and eldest said they were good but too rich for her.  I agree with hubby's assertion of addictive!

Sugarplum Date Balls
makes about 4 dozen candies

150g soft light brown sugar (¾ cup)
170g salted butter (¾ cup)
225g chopped (pitted) medjool dates (8 oz)
1 tsp vanilla extract
200g rice or corn chex cereal, crushed (3 cups) (You can also use rice krispies (75g), we just love the crunch of the chex.)
115g finely chopped toasted walnuts or pecans (1 cup)
130g sifted powdered sugar (1 cup)

Line an 8 inch square baking pan with parchment and lightly butter.  Set aside.

Combine the butter, brown sugar and dates into a saucepan.  Cook and stir constantly over medium heat.  

Once the butter and sugar is smooth and thoroughly combined with the dates, remove from the heat then stir in the vanilla.  

Stir in the nuts and cereal until the mixture is evenly combined.  Scoop the mixture out with a small cookie scoop or spoon onto a plate or sheet.  (A small cookie scoop will yield around 48 balls.)  Chill for 30-40 minutes.  (My small scoop is a #70 instead of a #60 so I get a few extra balls.)

 Once the portions have chilled and firmed slightly, take each one and shape it with fingers and between palms until it is a firmly packed round ball.

Roll the balls in the powdered sugar to coat.  Store in an airtight container.

 Here are some more letter D recipes:

• Jolene’s Recipe Journal: Double Dark Chocolate Waffles
•  Blogghetti: Dragon Fruit Smoothie Bowl
•  Karen’s Kitchen Stories: Dutch Macaroni
•  Mayuri’s Jikoni: Date Salad, Ottolenghi Style 
• A Messy Kitchen: Sugarplum Date Balls
• Culinary Cam: Gluten-Free Crystal Dumplings 
• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Chicken with Dates
• Palatable Pastime: Balkan Lamb and Rice Casserole (Djuvec) 
• Magical Ingredients: Dill Pickle Dip
• Food Lust People Love: Small Batch Dried Apricot Jam
• Sneha’s Recipe: Dal Sultani
• Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice: Sun-Dried Tomato Dip with Italian Seasoning