I made these delicious wrapped dates in a rosemary cheddar pastry for a fun girl’s night out and everyone loved them. Many asked if they were from a bakery. They only take about 15 minutes to prep and are super easy.   I cannot wait to make these simple appetizers for the holidays.

This recipe was adapted from Yummly.com. I only made some slight changes. My kids did not like the cayenne aftertaste so I cut the cayenne pepper in half. If you like spice, then add 1/4 teaspoon to the dough. I also baked them at 385 degrees on convection and cut the bake time down to 10 minutes since I like softer pastry.

The trick to make these look gourmet is the fluted pastry wheel. My kids love using it to cut the dough. It leaves the beautiful edges on the crackers. You can cut all different shapes too. You can even cut them into letters for a wedding of baby shower.

1) Cut half of a 8 ounce block of sharp cheddar cheese and grate it in a cuisinart. Then cut the stick of unsalted or pasture butter into pieces and throw them in the cuisinart. Add 1 1/2 cups of unbleached flour, 1 tablespoon of Back to Organic Rosemary French Gray Sea Salt with a hint of Lavender (or 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary and 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt), and 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper. Pulse until it is a cornmeal consistency.

Note: The Rosemary French Grey Sea Salt with a hint of Lavender are now for sale for $12. Click on this form to order. You can read a description on all the salts and the charities here.

2) Add 2 teaspoons of cider or raspberry vinegar and 2 tablespoons water. Blend until a dough has formed. The dough will stick together.

3) Place parchment paper on a cookie sheet and place the dough on top. Mold it into a 6 x 6 inch square. Place another piece of parchment on top. Seal the dough with plastic wrap or fold the edges of the parchment over to seal. Refrigerate for at least one hour.

4) Remove the dough and let come to room temperature or warm it in your hands if you are in a hurry. The dough will crack on the sides if it is cold and you try to roll it. Roll the dough into about a 1 x 1 foot square and square off the edges with the pastry wheel. Sprinkle a pinch of Rosemary sea salt on top. Use your pastry cutter to cut 1 x 3 inch rectangles. Place a date on top of each rectangle and roll the pastry dough around it. You may see the dates on the sides. Place each pastry wrapped date on a parchment lined cookie sheet. I reused the parchment from before.

Note: You can make the crackers by following the directions above but do not add the dates.

5) Cook at 385 degrees convection for 10 minutes or 400 degrees conventional for 10-15 minutes. The dough will be a light brown. Do not over cook unless you want crisp pastries and crackers.

6) Serve warm. They wrapped dates are wonderful a la carte. The crackers can be served with yummy cheeses or a homemade dip. Enjoy!

Why you want to eat this!

• Dates can improve your sleep, help you lose weight, lower your LDL cholesterol, and protect you against age-related macular degeneration. Dates are rich in fiber, iron, potassium, beta carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin B-6, calcium, manganese, and copper.
• “Rosemary contains substances that are useful for stimulating the immune system, increasing circulation, and improving digestion. Rosemary also contains anti-inflammatory compounds that may make it useful for reducing the severity of asthma attacks. In addition, rosemary has been shown to increase the blood flow to the head and brain, improving concentration.” read more

References:

https://www.nutrition-and-you.com/dates.html
https://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=75