Grocery Basket
bacon, heavy cream, cayenne, Gorgonzola, bittersweet chocolate, dates, toothpicks
Category
Finger Foods
Cook Time
25 minutes
We were playing around in the kitchen with some of our favorite ingredients: cheese, bacon, dates, cayenne pepper, and dark chocolate. All delicious in their own right, but together…? Somehow, this outrageous treat is what we came up with.
These puppies aren’t your healthiest homegating snack, but they at least qualify as a Paleo Diet yummy. Easy to make in bulk and great for satisfying a sweet or salty tooth, please your guests with our delicious Two-Timin’ Dates.
Ingredients
6 strips bacon
¼ pint heavy cream
Cayenne pepper, to taste
Gorgonzola cheese*
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate
12 dates, pitted
Toothpicks, for serving
Directions
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
Microwave your bacon for 2 ½ minutes, just so that it gets crispier when you cook it later on. Let it cool a bit and cut each slice in half, width-wise.
Stuff some cheese into each date and then wrap in bacon, securing with a toothpick so the bacon doesn’t unravel.
Bake on a cookie sheet for 15 minutes.*
While the dates cook, simmer heavy cream in a small saucepan. Add in the chocolate and let melt while continuously stirring. The melting process shouldn’t take very long, so you may want to time it to coincide with the last five minutes of the dates’ baking. Make sure to melt away any lumps. You want silky chocolate. Add in a tiny sprinkle of cayenne, to taste, for a nice zing of spice.
Let the bacon-wrapped dates cool just a bit along with the chocolate. Then, dip the dates in the chocolate, being sure to coat entirely, and set aside on a plate. Serve when set.
Recipe Note
Pro Tip 1:
If Gorgonzola isn’t your thing, you can use another variation depending on how stinky you like your cheese.
Pro Tip 2:
We recommend a baking sheet with sides so it catches any liquid. Also, you’ll probably find cleanup easier if you line your cookie sheet with parchment paper.