Little Ivy Cakes

Stuffed Dates for Fall

WOW! The pumpkin patches are sprouting, crab apples are overflowing, the sweet aroma of caramel is in the air, and we had our first rainy down pour earlier this week. It was actually 113 degrees on Monday and then by Wednesday, we had a freakish warm rain sweep through. We were at the park with Buddy and the rain just dumped on us, accompanied by a beautiful tropical sky and rainbows jumping everywhere in and out of these fluffy hot pink clouds. CRAZY huh. :)

So, dates are fallish right? Aside from that summery date shake that you can get in Palm Springs, CA or Arizona. Dates are a rich heavy fall thing. You know, they're in Christmas fruit cakes and such.

Anyway, these are *special * Medjool dates filled with cream cheese, lavender, bacon,
and then coated in chocolate.
Medjool dates are really yummy and moist but very sweeeet. The cream cheese really counters their sweetness, and the salty bacon and dark chocolate make this a perfect fall treat.

For a dinner-garnish, I cut them in half *but not all the way through* took out their pit, and put some cream cheese in the middle. They were really good and got me thinking to make...these devilish desserts with the chocolate and bacon.
I am also thinking, dates sliced over melted brie and crackers would also be really delish.

Here's what I did for:
Ivy's Chocolate Covered Dates
12 Medjool Dates
1 container cream cheese, whipped or not.
6 cooked and crispy bacon strips, I used the pre-cooked bacon from Oscar Meyer because it's easier.
1/4 cup lavender sugar for sprinkling

-Slice dated open, almost in half but not all the way.
-take out the pit

 -Fill 1/4 tsp cream cheese.
-Sprinkle with lavender sugar.

 -Stuff with some medium size bacon pieces. Set them aside until ready to coat with chocolate.

Chocolate coating recipe:
4 tbs bitter-sweet chocolate or whatever chocolate you like. I used bitter-sweet to counter some of the dates sweetness.
2 tbs butter
-Melt chocolate and butter in a glass bowl over a pot of simmering water
-Stir so they are combined and take off heat.
-Dip dates until coated with chocolate and place on a flat plate lined with parchment paper.

 -Chill in fridge for an hour or so and up to a week. Or for quick chilling, place in freezer for 10 mins.
-Sprinkle with bacon bits and sugar for looks if you want.

 THE END!