Christmas Date Nut Candy Food

GRANDMOTHER'S DATE NUT ROLL RECIPE

Steps:

• Line four baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Stir milk, sugar and 1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter together in a heavy bottom pan over medium high heat. Add dates. Stir constantly while cooking until the temperature reaches 235º F on a candy thermometer or when drops of the mixture into a bowl of cold water reach a soft ball stage.
• Remove from heat and add 1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter and vanilla. Beat until starts to thicken and add chopped pecans.
• Divide onto four baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Carefully spread across parchment paper to form a roll. Roll smoothly and cool completely before slicing.

DATE NUT BARS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the sugar, flour, baking powder, salt, dates and nuts. Add the eggs, butter and vanilla; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened (batter will be very stiff). , Spread in a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool bars on a wire rack. Dust with confectioners' sugar. ,

DATE NUT LOG

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine 2 cups of graham cracker crumbs, marshmallows, dates and walnuts. Stir in cream; mix thoroughly. Shape into a 14x3-in. log. Roll in remaining crumbs. , Wrap tightly in plastic wrap or foil. Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight. Slice; garnish with whipped cream if desired.

COCONUT DATE BALLS

Steps:

• In a saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Stir in the dates, sugar and eggs. Cook and stir over low heat for 10-15 minutes or until thermometer reads 160°. Remove from the heat; stir in the pecans, cereal and vanilla. When cool enough to handle, shape into 1-in. balls; roll in coconut. Place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until firm. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

DATE NUT CANDY

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Shape into 3/4-in. balls; place on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until firm. , In a microwave, melt candy coating; stir until smooth. Dip balls in coating and place on waxed paper to harden.

GREAT-GRANDMA CATHY'S DATE LOAF CANDY

Steps:

• Stir sugar, milk, and butter together in a saucepan; bring to a boil without stirring once the boiling begins. Heat until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a rigid ball or until the mixture reaches 250 degrees F (120 degrees C), about 20 minutes. Immediately remove saucepan from heat and stir dates, pecans, and vanilla into the milk mixture.
• Thoroughly wet a piece of cheesecloth and lay out onto a flat work surface. Pour the candy mixture into the middle of the cloth and roll the cloth around it to shape into a log.
• Refrigerate until hard, 8 hours to overnight. Remove log from cloth and slice.

CHRISTMAS DATE NUT CANDY

Steps:

• 1. Bring Sugar, Butter and Milk to rolling/bubbling boil.
• 2. Add dates, crushing against sides of pan (Tough!)
• 3. Cook to Soft Ball stage. (Drop tiny bit in glass of cold water. When forms a soft ball - NOT hard - Remove from heat and BEAT until thick and pour-able.
• 4. Work fast here. Pour a long roll onto wet towel near long side, leaving space at each end. Fold ends in, and roll to other side. Put each roll in freezer
• 5. Slice frozen (or close to it), and serve.

DATE BALLS

Steps:

• Cook and stir dates, sugar, and margarine in a large saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves; remove from heat. Fold crispy rice cereal, pecans, and vanilla extract into the date mixture until evenly mixed.
• Grease your hands with margarine. Roll date mixture into 1-inch balls.
• Spread confectioners' sugar into a shallow dish; roll date balls in confectioners' sugar to coat.

DATE AND WALNUT COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line one or more baking sheets with parchment. Place flour in a bowl and whisk in the salt, cinnamon and cloves. Set aside.
• Cream butter and brown sugar together by hand or in an electric mixer. Beat in eggs. The mixture will not be smooth. Dissolve the baking soda in 1 tablespoon hot water and stir it in. Stir in the dates and nuts. The batter will be heavy and not easy to mix. Work in the flour mixture, about a third at a time. If your electric mixer has a dough hook, use it for working in the flour.
• Scoop heaping teaspoons of batter onto prepared baking sheet or sheets, making craggy mounds about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Space them about 1 1/2 inches apart; the cookies will not spread very much. (Alternatively, for neater cookies, you can roll the batter into balls between your palms, then lightly press them down with the back of a spoon or the tines of a fork.) Allow to sit at room temperature 30 minutes to 1 hour before baking. Depending on the size of your oven and your baking sheets, you can form the cookies ready to bake on sheets of parchment paper on your countertop, then transfer them to baking sheets in shifts.
• Bake 15 to 20 minutes, until nicely browned. Let cool, then dust with sifted confectioners' sugar. If you plan to freeze some of the cookies, do not dust them with confectioners' sugar; wait until after they thaw.

DATE-NUT BALLS

Steps:

• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat; cook and stir dates and white sugar in the melted butter until thick and golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in crispy rice cereal and pecans. Let mixture cool until easily handled, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Form mixture into small balls using your hands.
• Pour confectioners' sugar into a resealable bag; add date-nut balls and lightly shake bag until balls are coated.