Hot Dates Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
• Soak 1/6 toothpicks in water for about 15 minutes.
• Slice open dates, and stuff each with a cube of Cheddar cheese and 1 almond. Wrap each date with a bacon slice, and secure with a toothpick.
• Place wrapped dates on a baking sheet, and bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the oven, turning once, until bacon is evenly browned.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil; set a rack over the baking sheet.
• Lay the bacon out on the rack. Transfer to the oven and bake until cooked but not crispy, 12 to 15 minutes. Let the bacon cool for about 5 minutes before cutting into 1/2-inch pieces.
• Lower the oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the rack from the baking sheet; replace the aluminum with parchment paper.
• Cut a lengthwise slit in the dates, just long enough to remove the pits. Carefully remove the pits. Fill each date with a scant teaspoon of the goat cheese. Carefully insert a piece of bacon into the cheese in each date. Bake the stuffed dates for about 15 minutes. Serve warm.

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler and set a rack 6 inches from the heat source.
• Place a pineapple chunk in each date. Wrap a half slice of bacon around each stuffed date and secure with toothpick. Broil 6 inches from heat source, turning occasionally, until bacon is crisp on all sides. Drain on paper towels. Serve warm.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Put the dates on a small rimmed baking sheet and roast in the oven until heated through, about 15 minutes.
• In a medium saute pan over medium heat, cook the pancetta until it is three-quarters crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the almonds and continue cooking until they brown, a few minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute or so. Add the red pepper flakes and stock and bring to a simmer, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter, stirring continuously until the butter is melted. Stir in the lemon juice and parsley.
• Add the dates to the pan and swirl and toss them in the sauce. Divide the cooked dates among 4 to 6 plates and spoon the sauce over them.

Steps:

• To temper the chocolate: Put 8 ounces of the chocolate in a double boiler over low heat. Heat, stirring, until the chocolate is almost melted (about 100 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer). Remove from the heat and add the remaining chopped chocolate in 2 or 3 additions, stirring until melted. The tempered chocolate will be thick and about 90 degrees F.
• Divide the chocolate among 2 large 6-cavity silicone hot chocolate bomb molds (2 1/2-inch diameter cavities). Use a small brush to brush the chocolate up the sides, making an even coat on the sides and in the bottom. Make sure the sides are thick enough all the way to the edge of the molds. Let sit at room temperature until completely set, 20 to 30 minutes. (If it is very hot, you can pop the molds in the refrigerator for a minute or two to finish.)
• Wearing latex gloves, gently remove the chocolate half-spheres from the molds. Set on a piece of parchment paper on your work surface. Divide the hot cocoa among 6 of the half-spheres, then add 3 or 4 pumpkin marshmallows, 1 ghost, 1 spider and 1/2 to 1 teaspoon sprinkles to each of the same half-spheres.
• Warm a small nonstick skillet over very low heat. To seal the bombs, set an unfilled half-sphere on the skillet open-side down for just a second to warm the chocolate. Set on top of a filled half-sphere, matching the seams as much as possible. Repeat with the remaining half-spheres. Let sit until hardened, about 5 minutes.
• To make the marshmallow webs: Put the regular marshmallows in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave until the marshmallows inflate and soften, 10 to 15 seconds. With gloved hands, pull up a little bit of marshmallow and stretch between your fingers to make thin webbing. Stretch the webbing over and around the bombs. Continue to pull and stretch the marshmallow until all of the bombs are covered in webbing. Add 2 candy eyes or a spider to each, if desired.
• To serve, heat 6 to 8 ounces milk per bomb until very hot. Add to mugs and drop in the bombs. Enjoy, stirring to melt the chocolate.

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, heat milk, molasses, spices, and salt over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Chop dates in a blender as finely as possible. Add about 1 cup milk mixture; blend, scraping down sides to be sure all dates have been pureed.
• Strain date mixture through a fine sieve back into pan; whisk over medium heat until well combined. Divide among four cups, and serve immediately.