mariadnoca
Moderator
"Caramel-Covered Stuffed Date Rolls are the best gift cookie I know. Unlike most cookies, these keep their moistness and flavor and they have a special appeal. Be sure you buy moist, not dry dates. This recipe makes about 60 cookies. They freeze well, but I try to give them soon after I make them. Keep some on hand, too, to serve during the holidays.
This is one of my favorite recipes. Each date is stuff with a walnut half (or bits of walnut), dipped into the batter, baked and then frosted. When you start making them they look messy, but by the time you're through glazing them they look so scrumptious. They are so good that I started making them as gifts for people. I would send my editor at Knopf a batch of these every holiday season. Now, if I send them a little late, she calls me to make sure they didn't get lost in the mail!" ~ Marion Cunningham
Caramel-Covered Stuffed Date Rolls
Yield: about 60 cookies
*
60 pitted dates (use only moist dates)
60 walnut halves or about 11/4 cups large walnut pieces
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, at room temperature, plus
additional for dipping
3/4 cup light-brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1/2 cup sour cream
11/2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
*
Cut a slit in top of each date, open sides and remove seed. Stuff each date with a walnut half or 2 or 3 walnut pieces and set aside on piece of wax paper. Put butter into large mixing bowl. Add sugar a little at a time and, using large spoon, beat butter and sugar together until smooth. Add egg and beat until blended. Blend in sour cream. In smaller bowl, stir together flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture and briskly beat ingredients together until smooth and well mixed. Using your fingers, dip each stuffed date into batter and spread batter all over date. Place coated dates on 2 ungreased baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between each. Bake at 375 degrees until cookies look lightly golden around edges, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer to racks. While first batch is baking make glaze so you can spoon it over cookies while they are still warm.
Glaze
3 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
About 2 tablespoons cold water
*
Melt butter in small saucepan over medium heat. As butter melts, tilt pan from side to side so butter moves around and melts completely. Remove from heat and stir in powdered sugar, vanilla and just enough water to make a runny glaze. Stir until smooth. Drizzle a little glaze over each cookie with teaspoon. Let glaze set firmly; this takes about 10 or 15 minutes. Store cookies in airtight containers or resealable plastic bags.
http://articles.latimes.com/2000/dec/17/magazine/tm-6535
http://ww3.hdnux.com/photos/10/37/35/2226026/5/1024x1024.jpg
This is one of my favorite recipes. Each date is stuff with a walnut half (or bits of walnut), dipped into the batter, baked and then frosted. When you start making them they look messy, but by the time you're through glazing them they look so scrumptious. They are so good that I started making them as gifts for people. I would send my editor at Knopf a batch of these every holiday season. Now, if I send them a little late, she calls me to make sure they didn't get lost in the mail!" ~ Marion Cunningham
Caramel-Covered Stuffed Date Rolls
Yield: about 60 cookies
*
60 pitted dates (use only moist dates)
60 walnut halves or about 11/4 cups large walnut pieces
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, at room temperature, plus
additional for dipping
3/4 cup light-brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1/2 cup sour cream
11/2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
*
Cut a slit in top of each date, open sides and remove seed. Stuff each date with a walnut half or 2 or 3 walnut pieces and set aside on piece of wax paper. Put butter into large mixing bowl. Add sugar a little at a time and, using large spoon, beat butter and sugar together until smooth. Add egg and beat until blended. Blend in sour cream. In smaller bowl, stir together flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture and briskly beat ingredients together until smooth and well mixed. Using your fingers, dip each stuffed date into batter and spread batter all over date. Place coated dates on 2 ungreased baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between each. Bake at 375 degrees until cookies look lightly golden around edges, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer to racks. While first batch is baking make glaze so you can spoon it over cookies while they are still warm.
Glaze
3 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
About 2 tablespoons cold water
*
Melt butter in small saucepan over medium heat. As butter melts, tilt pan from side to side so butter moves around and melts completely. Remove from heat and stir in powdered sugar, vanilla and just enough water to make a runny glaze. Stir until smooth. Drizzle a little glaze over each cookie with teaspoon. Let glaze set firmly; this takes about 10 or 15 minutes. Store cookies in airtight containers or resealable plastic bags.
http://articles.latimes.com/2000/dec/17/magazine/tm-6535
http://ww3.hdnux.com/photos/10/37/35/2226026/5/1024x1024.jpg