1000 Foods (pg. 514) for information, recipe is my own creation

            For a unique dessert, we have dates in clove syrup. Date palms are more tolerant of heat and drought than most other plants, making them essential in the hot deserts of the Middle East and North Africa. The fruit is sweet, high in nutrients, and calorie-dense, a useful feature in the past. Before sugar, dates were the main sweetener in the region, added to a variety of breads, porridges, and sweet cakes in Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. Usually, they were preserved by drying in the hot sun, a method still widely used.

            People have been stuffing dates for at least two thousand years, and probably for even longer. Once the pit is removed, the fruit has a hollow center. Dates were a popular luxury in the Roman Empire. Since the trees don’t produce fruit in Italy, they had to be imported from the Middle East and North Africa. Almonds, which fit into the centers almost perfectly, were a favorite filling, either on their own or in a more complex mixture. Murabba El Balah, a Lebanese specialty, also uses almonds for a nice contrast in flavor and texture.

            Normally the dish uses fresh dates. Since those are extremely hard to find, I developed a recipe using the dried variety. After soaking in hot water the dates can be peeled, and the pits removed with a nut pick or knitting needle. I put two almonds in each date, toasted for extra flavor. After steeping for several days, the fruit is chewy and extremely sweet. To avoid being overwhelming, I’ve included a recipe for lightly sweetened rice pudding. The syrupy dates are a popular garnish for puddings of all sorts.

            They have a great flavor and nice crunch, but are a bit of a sugar bomb, for lack of a better term. Dates are already very sweet, and a sugar syrup only increases it. Because of this, they go even better with pancakes, oatmeal, cream of wheat, and the like, which aren’t usually pre-sweetened. Plain yogurt would be another excellent choice.

            Note that the dates need to soak in the clove syrup for at least four days, so plan ahead. The rice pudding is very thick, because that’s the way I prefer it, but you can thin it with a bit more milk once it’s cooled. No vanilla or cinnamon is included because the clove syrup would overpower it, but if you want to add some, by all means go ahead.

            Ingredients:

• 20 – 24 dates (about 1 pound dried with pits, less if pitted)
• 40 – 48 toasted unsalted almonds (2 per date)
• 24 whole cloves
• 1 ½ cups sugar

For rice pudding (if desired)

• 4 cups (1 quart) whole or 2% milk
• 6 tablespoons white rice, long or short grain (short grain makes a thicker pudding)
• 1 tablespoon sugar

            Directions:

1. Place dates in a medium saucepan with just enough water to cover, about 2 cups. Bring water to a boil, shaking pan occasionally. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand for at least an hour, or until cool.
2. Peel dates, starting from areas where the peel has bubbled up. Remove pits with nut pick or knitting needle if necessary. Set fruit aside, discarding peels and pits. Strain cooking liquid and return to pan.
3. Add the cloves to the cooking liquid and bring it back to a boil. When boiling, add the 1 ½ cups sugar and boil, stirring, for two or three minutes, or until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat.
4. While the syrup partially cools, stuff two whole almonds into each date. Pour the warm syrup over the stuffed dates and gently stir. Let cool to room temperature, then marinate in the refrigerator for at least four days. Due to the sugar content, these will stay good for a few weeks.
5. Remove the cloves and serve with rice pudding, ice cream, or yogurt.
6. For the pudding, heat the milk, rice, and tablespoon sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently, until mixture simmers. Turn down heat to medium low, then cook for about 15 minutes until thickened, stirring frequently to prevent scorching. Chill before serving if desired.

            Don’t worry if you accidentally eat a clove. It might dull your sense of taste a for a few minutes, but that’s as far as side effects go. As usual, make sure to subscribe to get free posts and recipes sent right to your inbox. If you’re feeling extra generous and want to donate a few bucks to support my work, you can do that too.