Spiced Dates

Through a treasured friend next door, I have recently realized how very wonderful dates are. Having just one is a fabulous treat- I consider them nature's caramel. After falling in love with these little wonders, I came across a recipe for 'Stuffed Dates' that included double-boiling them in brandy and orange juice, stuffing them with blanched almonds, and rolling them in a combination of sugar, cinnamon, and orange zest. I substituted coconut oil for the sugar this time, and next time I think I'll try the recipe with evaporated cane juice as the substitute for refined sugar. The down side- the recipe only made 30. This will definitely be made by the double or triple batch next time. I am having visions of these as a traditional holiday treat for us.
I call them Spiced Dates because I think it is a more suitably descriptive name-the cinnamon, orange, caramel-like essence of 'Spiced Dates' are perfect as a decadently warming sweet. love-A