Name: Bacon wrapped dates with sauce
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Ingredients: 20 dates; 6 slices smoked bacon; 1/3 cup goat cheese; 2-3 tablespoons red onion; seasoning (pepper, salt, fresh herbs) (to taste); 1/4 cup honey; 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

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Easy to make, these bacon wrapped dates are stuffed with cream cheese and dipped in light vinegarette sauce. Great snack or party food.

Why make this recipe?

Great appetiser or starter food
Fab combination of savoury and sweet taste

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Ingredients & Possible Substitutions

Dates

I’ve use normal dates, but you can use large medjool dates. They will take longer to cook, so just bear that in mind.

Bacon

Smoked bacon is great flavour wise, but you can use unsmoked one too. Make sure it’s nice and lean and doesn’t have too much fat.

Goats Cheese

You can also use feta cheese or other firmer cheese. I love the combination of bacon, dates and cream cheese, but the cream cheese often ends up outside the dates as they bake.

Red onion

Seasoning (pepper, salt, fresh herbs) to taste

Honey

Balsamic vinegar

How else you can make this recipe?

The stuffing (or filling) gives you so many options.

Goats cheese is great, but you can also use other firmer cheeses, herbs and spices. You can even leave out the stuffing all together.

Allergies, dietary requirements

Nut free
Gluten-free
Not suitable for vegan or vegetarian diets

What’s the best way to serve the bacon dates?

These are great as a appetisers, starters or finger food at family gatherings or parties. The bacon wrapped dates with sauce are also great for small appetites or fancy snacks between meals.

My top tips on making this recipe successfully the first time round

Choose nice big dates to start with

Smoked bacon works great with this recipe as a flavour

If you are adding red onion to the goats cheese mix, make sure it’s not too soggy (tap a paper napkin on the top if if feels too wet before mixing in)

Wrap the bacon tightly around the dates and make sure that you secure it with a toothpick

Can this recipe be made in advance?

You are welcome to make the stuffed dates in advance and then just reheat them in the oven or microwave for few minutes.

How to store this recipe?

The stuffed dates are best eaten on the same day, but if you have any leftovers you can keep them covered in your fridge for 2-3 days.

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INSTRUCTIONS

Dates

Preheat your oven to 180 C or 350 degrees and prepare a large baking tin or a baking tray and line it with a greaseproof paper.

Cut the red onion into smaller pieces and cook on a medium heat in a frying pan together with one teaspoon of butter. Make sure that the onion is completely done before removing it and cooling it down.

Mix the goat cheese and red onion together and add extra seasoning or herbs if you like.

Remove the pits from the dates and replace it with a teaspoon of the goats cheese mix.

Cut the bacon to smaller pieces so that they fit round the dates and wrap a piece around each date. Secure with a toothpick.

Bake your dates for about 20-25 minutes, until the bacon is done.

Balsamic Sauce

Mix together the balsamic vinegar and the honey and bring to a simerring in a small saucepan. Cook for few minutes until the mixture thickens a bit and reduces in volume.

Don’t cook it for too long, otherwise it might set too much.

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