Walnut Date Spread Food

WALNUT DATE BALLS

Steps:

• Process walnuts, dates, coconut, sesame oil, sea salt, and vanilla extract together in a food processor until combined. Roll date mixture into bite-size balls; refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

DATE AND WALNUT SPREAD

Steps:

• In a small bowl beat together the neufchatel cheese, powdered sugar and spices.
• In a food processor finely chop the walnuts. Add chopped nuts to cream cheese mixture then finely chop the dates. Add in dates and stir with a rubber spatula until blended.
• Place mixture into a custard cup, cover and refrigerator until chilled. Serve with bagels and quick breads for a delicious treat.

WALNUT DATE SPREAD

Steps:

• In a food processor, combine dates and nuts; cover and process until finely chopped. While processor is running, add orange juice until blended.

DATE-AND-WALNUT BARS

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 325, and line a 13-by-18-inch sheet pan with parchment paper. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl until well mixed and no lumps remain. Tip about 1/2 cup of the flour mixture into a medium bowl; add the dates, and toss well to coat, breaking up the dates as you go. Set aside.
• In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter with both sugars just until smoothly incorporated, about 2 minutes on medium speed. Add the eggs in 3 batches, mixing well each time and scraping down the sides of the bowl and the paddle between additions.
• Add the flour mixture and date mixture, and mix gently on low just until incorporated. Remove the bowl from the mixer, and use a spatula to fold in the walnuts. Transfer the mixture to the parchment-lined sheet pan, and use an offset spatula to spread it in an even layer, pushing it into the edges and corners and smoothing the surface. Bake until brown and set, about 45 minutes.
• Cool completely in the pan, then remove and cut into squares. Serve right away, or store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

DATE WALNUT RUGELACH

Steps:

• Make dough:
• In a food processor blend butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add flour and salt and pulse just until mixture forms a ball. Form dough into a log. Chill dough, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at least 4 hours and up to 1 day.
• Make filling:
• Finely chop dates and walnuts and in a bowl with your hands toss together dates, walnuts, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla until combined well.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Cut dough crosswise into 8 equal pieces and work with 1 piece at a time, keeping remaining pieces covered and chilled. On a work surface sprinkled with confectioners' sugar using a rolling pin dusted with confectioners' sugar, roll out piece of dough into an 8-inch round. Cut round into 8 wedges, keeping round intact.
• Sprinkle 1/3 cup filling in a ring around outer portion of round, leaving a 1-inch border around edge, and press filling gently into dough. Working with 1 wedge at a time, fold outer edge of pastry over filling and roll up filling in pastry, jelly-roll fashion, folding sides under pastry to enclose filling. Transfer rugelach, as formed, pointed ends down, to ungreased baking sheets. Make more rugelach in same manner.
• Bake rugelach in batches in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until golden, 15 to 20 minutes total. Transfer rugelach to racks to cool completely. Rugelach keep in an airtight container at room temperature 3 days.

SIMPLE WALNUT DATE BARS

Steps:

• Combine cake mix and brown sugar in mixing bowl. Add eggs and melted butter, beat at medium speed with electric mixer until blended ( batter will be stiff) Spread half of batter into lightly greased 13 x 9 inch pan, sprinkle with half of nuts and dates.
• Stir remaining dates and walnuts into remaining batter, spread over mixture in pan.
• Bake at 350 for 30 to 40 minutes or until golden. (check at 30) Run a knife around edge to loosen sides.
• Let stand 30 minutes before cutting (do not rush this or they will crumble)
• Cut into squares and store in airtight container.

WALNUT STUFFED DATES

Steps:

• Slit dates on one side and stuff with walnuts.
• Close and set aside.
• In small saucepan, bring cream to boil over medium heat, stirring often.
• Stir in sugar until it melts.
• Stir in orange or rose blossom water and cocoa, reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat until misture is cool enough to touch.
• Spread coconut on plate.
• Dip dates in cocoa syrup and roll in coconut.
• Place on a plate or tray and refrigerate, covered, for several hours before serving.

DATE WALNUT LOAF

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F; spray a loaf pan with nonstick baking spray like Pam, and set aside.
• In a small bowl or measuring cup, pour boiling water over baking soda so that soda dissolves.
• Place dates in a mixing bowl and pour water/soda mixture over dates; let cool.
• In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
• In a different bowl, beat the egg with an electric mixer, then slowly add the brown sugar, beating well after each addition.
• To the egg/sugar mixture, add cooled date mixture, toasted nuts and vanilla; mix well.
• Stir in the dry ingredients.
• Now, add the melted butter and mix well.
• Pour this mixture into the prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for approximately 55 minutes, or until loaf tests done.
• Let cool 10 minutes before removing from pan, then cool completely on a rack.