Gosh this has been one hell of a week and I’m exhausted! Currently running on a ridiculous amount of black tea and sheer will power so I’m going to keep today’s post short and sweet. I’m just happy that it’s a good tired. The type of tired that comes from finishing several orders (thank you to everyone who’s been ordering😊) and doing nonstop recipe testing. Which means my camera is full of new pictures that need to find a home in a non-existent empty hard drive.

If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve probably seen me making these chocolate bites (really anything with chocolate is a good thing). They’re easily my favorite snack at the moment and so easy to make. You first start by pitting a few dates to create little individual date boats. It’s important to use medjool dates here or another similar variety because the size makes it perfect for filling and eating all in one bite. Then, you stuff each date with the tahini caramel speckled with warm cozy fall spices (the sort that makes you feel that the holidays are upon us). Drizzle (I prefer to cover) in rich melted dark chocolate and as a finishing touch, a sprinkle of sea salt which balances out all the sweetness. Just talking about it is enough to make me swoon. Partly debating if I should sneak into the kitchen to grab one as a midnight snack but I shouldn’t, I’ve already been hoarding them. So I will end here before I convince myself that I need one cause maybe I really do…

Just A Few Tips

• Melting the chocolate is the last step as it tends to set after a few minutes. If this happens you will have to reheat it again until it returns to its liquid state (which can be a hassle) so make sure your dates are all prepped before melting.
• If you want a glossy chocolate coating that has a nice snap, you can temper your chocolate. There are many ways to temper chocolate. The easiest way for me is melting 2/3 of your chocolate then adding the 1/3 once everything else is fully melted. Then stir vigorously until it’s all smooth. This stabilizes the chocolate by making it arrive at the right temperatures. This part is optional but is useful to learn.
• Don’t be like me and skip the setting time in the fridge. If you want to see what happens if you omit this step, see picture below. If you don’t care then by all means go ahead and take that bite.

Print Recipe

Salted Dark Chocolate Date Boats with Spiced Tahini Caramel

Medjool dates stuffed with tahini caramel speckled with warm cozy fall spices then covered in salted rich dark chocolate for the perfect bite.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Total Time10 minutes mins

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: Contemporary

Keyword: Easy, Vegan

Servings: 30 date boats

Calories: 61kcal

Ingredients

• 225 g (1 cup) medjool dates
• 80 g (⅓ cup) well-stirred tahini
• 1 tsp maple syrup or agave optional
• ¾ tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• ¼ tsp ginger
• ¼ tsp cloves
• 112 g (¾ cup) dark chocolate chopped
• 1 tsp fine or flaked sea salt

Instructions

• Combine the tahini, maple syrup (if using), cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves. Mix until well incorporated. Stream in a bit of water if you find the consistency too thick. Set aside.
• Slice each date lengthwise, removing the pit while keeping the bottom intact creating a little pocket. Fill each date with the spiced tahini caramel.
• Place the chocolate in a microwavable bowl and melt in the microwave on high in 30-second increments, making sure to stir after each time. Spoon or dip (you can use a toothpick to hold the date) each date with the melted chocolate. Sprinkle with some sea salt and place in the fridge to set for at least 10 minutes. Keep in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Enjoy!

Notes

*The tahini can be substituted with any nut/seed butter.

*If you find that your tahini is too bitter for your taste, add maple syrup 1 tsp at a time. Keeping in mind that the date will also add extra sweetness. 

*You can also melt chocolate using the double boiler method: use a large pot filled halfway (or 1/3 full) with water and bring to a simmer. Place a smaller pot over the large one, making sure the bottom of the pot does not touch the water. Add chocolate into the small pot and melt. 

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