Sugar High Friday: Medjool Dates with Ricotta and Gingered Honey
I'm certainly not the first person to pair medjool dates with a little honey. Variations on this theme have been around since at least Roman times, when Apicius is reputed to have boiled dates in a mix of honey and rosewater, tinted them with saffron then spread them on trays of briarwood.
The recipe below is far easier to assemble than the ancient version, and adds a local twist by incorporating gingered honey from the Big Island. Not only does it avoid refined sugar, but the bite-sized portions make it easy to stop eating after reasonable amount. Unless you can't stop at one or two. Or six.
- medjool dates
- fresh ricotta - fresh goat cheese works equally well
- almonds, lightly toasted
- Rare Hawaiian Organic White Honey with Organic Ginger - or stir a small portion of freshly grated ginger into the honey of your choice
Slice the dates in half and discard the pits. Stuff each half with cheese, lightly press an almond into the cheese then dribble honey over the top. Serve with a spiced tea for a simple dessert.
Now I have a confession to make: the dates weren't my first attempt for Sugar Low Friday. I had a brilliant idea for an apple tart seasoned with this same gingered honey, but to say that it flopped is an understatement. The apples didn't cook like I'd hoped, the honey got lost and the whole wheat crust tasted like a punishment.
It was bad, truly awful.
I wouldn't subject anyone to that tart, not even my worst enemy. Well... maybe the person that stole my chair off the front porch. You know who you are, and I'm saving a tart slice with your name on it. The dates, however, I'm keeping all for myself.
Tagged with: SHF # 15 + Low Sugar0 TrackBacks
Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry: Sugar High Friday: Medjool Dates with Ricotta and Gingered Honey.
TrackBack URL for this entry: http://maona.net/mt/mt-tb.cgi/432
Hahaaa! That tart must've been truly woeful. Did you happen to take a photo at all??? But those dates are great - I've done a similar thing myself and had real trouble peeling my face away.
I love dates! I've only tried stuffing them with almond paste and shortbread though. I love ricotta, so I'll be using this next time.
FYI: I made homemade ricotta a few months back and tested it made with buttermilk, vinegar or lemon juice and I found the lemon juice version much more pleasing. The buttermilk version tasted like buttermilk and the vinegar was too plain.
Ricotta Fresca
Niki, the tart was discretely slipped into the trash before incriminating evidence could obtained. Anyone who claims to have photographic proof is lying, or very sneaky.
Darla, argh! I completely forgot you'd written about ricotta as well. Thanks for leaving the address in your comments. I've changed it into a proper hyperlink for easy clickability.
Beautiful Alan, just beautiful! I like to fill medjool dates with mascarpone cream (http://creampuffsinvenice.typepad.com/cream_puffs_in_venice/sweet_snacks/index.html).
But I love your variation as I love dates and ricotta! Now I know I know what to do with the ricotta I have left over from making Pasta e Ricotta.
Delicious!
Hey alan
did you guess i would use the honey in mine too?
thank you and thank you
-for the honey and the entry!
sam
ps - I am glad I wasnt the only one with sugar low flops, but I am sorry to have caused you to have one!
Ivonne, I think almost any kind of soft cheese works for this, as long as the flavor isn't sharp. I've not tried marscapone, but it sounds delicious too.
Sam, yes, I did guess. I remember you had said you had an idea for the honey, and then a few days later announced January's SHF. You get no blame for my sugar low flop however. The responsibility lies entirely on my own shoulders as I hone my cooking sense.
Damn that person that stole the chair off your front porch, someone stole a very intricate;y carved jack o lantern off our porch a while back. My sister worked for hours to carve a dragon, damn then thieves.
Anyway your dates look divine. I am making a ton of candied ginger these days and the leftover syrup is to die for. I put it on pancakes and when summer comes around again, I am going to drizzle it over fresh peaches.
Those sound so good! For years, I hated dates. The ones you could find in the midwest were highly processed or old and gooey and WAY too sweet. A couple of years ago I saw some at World Harvest(their site: http://www.worldharvestfoods.com/), a local campus grocery that carries food from all over the world. The dear manager insisted that I try one... oh heaven!!! Not too sweet & the skin was dry to the touch. I have been addicted ever since. They seem to be at their best right around Ramadan in the fall. I am a low carb person but I do allow myself a pint or two every fall as a seasonal treat. With cream cheese, riccotta, goat cheese or clotted cream (?) and honey and almonds they would be even better for me! I can't wait! Thanks for sharing, Alan!
Gia, have you ever posted how you make your candied ginger? That's not something I've tried.
Laurel, I'd never tried good dates either until last year. My memories of them were... less than favorable, but medjool dates are fantastic.
hi Alan, I love dates, I love ricotta, I love almonds, and I love honey, too. What more can I say, I adore this simple dessert. Must make some soon!
thanks for sharing the recipe. :))))
Celia, could it be a match made in heaven? Thanks for stopping by!