Date Sweetmeats
( Date Sweetmeats) Recipe

Origin: Britain      Period: Traditional

Ingredients

450g dried dates (weighed after pitting)
1 large orange
450g granulated sugar
granulated sugar, to finish

Date Sweetmeats
( Date Sweetmeats) Preparation:

Method:

Add the prepared dates to a bowl, cover with warm water and set aside to soak over night. The following day, drain the fruit then steam until very tender. In the meantime, add the whole orange (in its skin) to a pan of water, bring to a boil and cook until tender. Drain the orange and add to a blender with the apricots then chop very finely. Put the resultant mixture in the top of a bain-marie (double boiler) along with the sugar. Cook slowly until the mixture is thick enough so that it reaches a setting consistency (when a teaspoon placed on a plate chilled in the refrigerator forms a skin when pushed with your thumb).

Turn out and allow to cool before shaping into balls. Roll these in granulated sugar to coat then store in an air-tight tin (easiest done if the layers are separated by greaseproof (waxed) paper.

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