Dates are fruit that comes from the date palm tree. This fruit has a lot of nice health benefits as well as a great taste. Dates have a sticky texture when you touch them because of some of its natural ingredients, thus many people call them sticky dates. Unfortunately it is not a fruit that is used very often in the kitchen though well it should be. If you have not tried sticky date recipes before it is time you did. Here are a couple of nice ones you may want to add to your dessert recipe book.

Sticky Date Cheesecake

¾ cup of water
1 cup of pitted and chopped dates
3 packages of cream cheese (250g)
2 well beaten eggs
1 cup sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cloves
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
½ cup almond flakes
3 teaspoon of a sugar and cinnamon mixture

First combine the dates and water in a pan and let them simmer for around 5 minutes. Preheat your oven to 350 F. Mix cream cheese in a large bowl until its texture is smooth and add the eggs and beat. Next you the sugar and spices and beat once again. Then fold in the dates and pour the mixture in a tin that has been lined with baking paper. Finally sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon mixture along with the almonds on top and bake around one hour or until firm. Some people like to add caramel sauce on top but this is optional.

Here is one of my favorite sticky date recipes. It is quick to make and you don't have to bake it.

Date Nut Squares

¼ teaspoon of salt
3 cups of sugar
1 cup of evaporated milk
2 ½ cups of your favorite chopped nuts
1 ½ cup of finely chopped dates
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

In a large pan add the sugar, evaporated milk and salt. Bring this mixture to a boil until the sugar is completely dissolved. Continue cooking until the mixture reaches 236 degrees on a candy thermometer. Then, remove it form the stove and add the remaining ingredients. Let it sit for a while until it is only lukewarm and then stir it with a wooden spoon until it is creamy. Pour the mixture into a 9 inch pan and let it cool until it gets firm. This will make a little more than 2 pounds of a delicious candy.

I hope you will try at least one of these sticky date recipes. However, remember that although dates are a healthy fruit this is still a sweet dessert. Make it last a while and maybe give a few squares to friends.

Even though our website concentrates more on the health benefits of fruit we like to add some great fruit recipes to make it fun. Lots of fruit in your diet will keep your body running smoothly and prevent many health problems, but don't overdo it on your dessert helpings if your are here for the diet aspects of fruit.