Dates and Nuts stuffed pastry strips.......

After the really long break from the blog…..I am back with a dessert recipe. Dried fruits and nuts are ideal for the festive season and so I bring to you a recipe which has loads of them. I came across this recipe in a book on baking….but have modified it to my taste. Try it to make an impression on your loved ones…..

DATE STUFFED PASTRY STRIPS                                                  Serves 10 - 12

Ingredients

For the pastry

Plain flour(Maida) – 2 cups heaped

Butter (cubed small) – about 100 gms

Caster sugar – ¾ cup

Cold water – a few tblsp

For the filling

Dates (pitted and chopped) – 1 cup heaped

Nuts (Cashew and almonds roasted and chopped) – ¾ cup

Lemon juice – 2 tblsp

Honey/Golden syrup – 2 tblsp

Water – 3 tblsp

Method

1. Put in all the ingredients – dates, lemon juice, honey and water in a pan and put it on medium flame.
2. Cover and cook till the dates are soft. Mash lightly.
3. Alternatively you could cook the dates in a microwave. Cover and cook on high power for 5 mins.
4. Let it cool thoroughly. Then add the nuts and mix well.
5. For the pastry, mix the butter cubes into the flour and sugar mix by working with the finger tips.
6. When the mix resembles breadcrumbs, add a few tablespoons of chilled water to bring the mix together in the form of dough.
7. Put the dough in an airtight container and let it rest for 20 – 30 mins in a refrigerator.
8. Split the dough into two parts. Roll out into rectangles of equal size ½ “thick.
9. Place one rectangle on a baking tray / dish.
10. Spread the date mixture evenly on the pastry sheet. Cover with the other sheet and seal the edges.
11. Make markings on the pastry about ¾” wide. Go all the way down. It becomes easier to cut the strips after it is cooked.
12. Brush with milk and bake for 20 -25 mins or till golden in a preheated oven at  180 - 200°C.
13. Brush with honey and cool on a wire rack.

Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream for the special effect.

© Rinki’s Kitchen 2012