Perfect Holiday Bite

Prosciutto wrapped bleu cheese stuffed dates with herby burnt honey – some of my favorite words all in one sentence!  What could be a more comforting dessert as we approach the festive season?  These are incredibly easy to pull together and can be stored in the fridge right up until guests arrive.  All you have to do is pop them in the oven, warm the honey, and serve!

I think one of my biggest weaknesses at every party are the appetizers.  A buffet of little bites, all different tastes and textures (but the best ones are always a little cheesy).  I can’t help but build an entire plate of just apps! This time of year that can be dangerous, though, as we’re approaching the best meals of the year – Thanksgiving and Christmas!  Speaking of, these dates fit right in with a festive dinner. They’re a little sweet, a little salty, a bit crispy, a bit chewy, and, of course, a tad cheesy!

I recently learned of the concept of “burnt honey”, which is essentially caramelized, very aromatic honey, and my life has changed forever.  It’s the easiest way to make a honey, take hardly any time at all, and is so flavorful. If you’ve never tried burnt honey, this is your sign!  Give this recipe a try, or make some to pour over your next bowl of ice cream, or add to a cobbler. You won’t be disappointed!

Tips for Making Prosciutto Wrapped Bleu Cheese Dates with Herby Burnt Honey

If you’re planning on making these stuffed dates, here are a few tips I’ve learned along the way to make sure they’re delicious:

• Watch the dates in the oven carefully – since prosciutto is so thin and dates are sugary, these can burn easily!
• Find a bleu cheese that’s creamy, rather than too crumbly.  Both will taste great, but it will be easier to fill the dates.
• Burnt honey is essentially honey turned into caramel.  If it’s warm, it’s really easy to drizzle, if it’s caramelized and set, it will be like a typical soft caramel candy.  If it begins to get thick, you can easily reheat it over low heat until it becomes drizzly again!
• If entertaining, prepare the dates ahead of time!  Go through steps 2 through 4 in the directions and refrigerate until ready to use. Then bake and caramelize the honey right before serving!

Recipe Details

These stuffed dates are much more complicated sounding then they really are!  To begin, prepare the dates by slitting them almost in half, length-wise, until you hit the pit in the center. Remove and discard the pits and any hard parts remaining from the stem – they aren’t very tasty!

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Where the pits once were, stuff each date with bleu cheese and wrap with about a quarter of a slice of prosciutto. Prosciutto is naturally very sticky, so it should stay stuck to the date easily.  If not, tuck the ends of the prosciutto onto the bottom of the date before placing them on the baking tray.

Bake the stuffed and wrapped dates in a 350° F oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until the prosciutto is crisp and the cheese is starting to melt. While the dates are baking, prepare the herby, burnt honey by placing honey, sage, and thyme into a small saucepan or small frying pan, letting it bubble and caramelize for about 5 minutes until it becomes really aromatic and starts to brown just slightly. The amount of honey will reduce as it caramelizes, and that’s a-okay!

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As soon as the dates are out of the oven, transfer to a serving plate and drizzle the burnt honey over the top as desired.  Serve right away, as this is a starter best served warm!  They will be a bit sticky, so provide forks or toothpicks to keep your fingers clean!

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I hope you love this recipe as much as I do!  If you make it, be sure to tag me in your photos or leave a review of how it went, I can’t wait to hear!

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Prosciutto-Wrapped Bleu-Cheese Dates with Herby, Burnt Honey

Author: Laura Wilkins Cooking Method: Baked Cuisine: American Courses: Appetizer

Difficulty: Beginner Prep Time 15 mins Cook Time 15 mins Total Time 30 mins

Cooking Temp: 350  °F Servings: 8

Best Season: Suitable throughout the year

Dietary:

G Gluten Free N Nut Free

Description

A perfect bite before jumping into a meal, these dates are wrapped in crisp prosciutto, filled with creamy bleu cheese, and drizzled with herby, caramelized honey.

Ingredients

Scale

1/2x 1x 2x 3x

• 16 Medjool dates
• ¹⁄₄ cup bleu cheese
• 4 slices prosciutto, about 3 ounces
• ¹⁄₃ cup honey
• 2 small sprigs fresh sage
• 1 large sprig fresh thyme

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350° and line a baking tray with aluminum foil.

2. Slice the dates lengthwise until you hit the pit.  Remove the pit and any hard parts of the stem.

3. Divide ¼ cup of bleu cheese into 16 pieces, stuffing the cheese into each date, squeezing the date together to keep the cheese in place (tip: don’t skimp on the cheese! It’s the best part!).

4. Slice each slice of prosciutto into 4. Wrap the quarter piece of prosciutto around each date and place on the foil-lined baking tray.

5. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes, until the prosciutto is crisp and the cheese has melted.

6. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan or frying pan, add ⅓ cup of honey, 2 small sprigs of fresh sage, and 1 large sprig of fresh thyme. Place over a medium-low burner, until the honey begins to bubble.  Stir occasionally, to ensure the honey doesn’t get too hot, for about 5 minutes until the honey becomes very fragrant.  Remove the thyme and sage sprigs and keep the honey on low until ready to use. If the honey sets and starts to become too thick to drizzle, gently reheat over low heat until smooth and runny.

7. Once the dates are out of the oven, transfer to a serving plate and immediately drizzle with the burnt honey.

8. Serve with forks or toothpicks on the side and enjoy!