#date jam

Every year for Christmas, I make edible gifts for my family and closest friends, whether they are Chocolates, Homemade Liqueurs, Chutneys, Pickles and Other Conserves or Festive Bakes and Biscuits! This year, I'm making a lot of jams and spreads, starting with this delicately fragrant Lady Grey Date Jam! I shall send this one to my girlfriend because she works at a record store and it's a date jam!

Ingredients (makes a small jar):

3/4 cup Medjool dates

1 Lady Grey tea-bag (Earl Grey works too, but I find the Lady is more aromatic!)

1 cup boiling water

1/8 teaspoon Mixed Spice

1 heaped tablespoon good Chestnut Honey

Place Medjool dates in a small bowl. Add Lady Grey tea-bag, and pour boiling water all over. Cover with cling film and allow the dates to plump up and infuse, at least one hour.

After one hour, remove the tea-bag, and removes pits from the dates --it will be easier and neater now than trying to do it before soaking them-- and put the dates in a blender.

Pour in Lady Grey tea and sprinkle in Mixed Spice. Blitz until very smooth.

Strain mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a saucepan, and heat over medium-high heat.

Stir in Chestnut Honey until completely melted, and cook, stirring often with a wooden spoon until the jam slightly thickens and darkens.

Pour hot Lady Grey Date Jam into a sterelised jar, and close tightly. Allow to cool and set. Then, label and store.

And because, you can very simply make somed truly delicious bake once you’ve made Puff Pastry, here are some indulgent Date Palmiers, with a hint sticky Toffee Pudding taste, perfect for brekkie or tea! Maggie and Matt would love these, I know!

Ingredients (makes 8 mini, or 4 large):

10 ounces homemade  All-Butter Puff Pastry

3 tablespoons Earl Grey Date Jam

2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar

1 egg lightly beaten

Roll out All-Butter Puff Pastry onto a lightly floured surface, into a rectangle, roughly 12.5″x6″.

Spread Earl Grey Date Jam  into an even layer onto the pastry rectangle. Sprinkle evenly with 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar. With the long part of the dough facing you, fold the sides of the dough, rolling inwards, so they meet in the middle. Wrap in cling film and chill in the refrigerator, 15 minutes, to firm up.

Preheat oven to 400°.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Remove dough from refrigerator, and cut into a dozen 1″-thick discs. Place onto prepared baking sheet, and flatten slightly. Generously brush with egg wash, and sprinkle remaining dark sugar on top.

Bake in the hot oven, 30 minutes at 400°, untild golden and shiny.

This finger-licking good Earl Greay Date Jam gives a delicious Sticky Toffee Pudding taste to your morning toasts. And warmed up, it beautiffully dresses a scoop or two of Hokey Pokey Ice Cream.

Ingredients (makes 3/4 cup):

2 ounces Medjool dates

2 Earl Grey tea bags

1 cup boiling water

2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar

In a small bowl, combine Medjool dates and Earl Grey tea bags. Cover with boiling water. Cover with cling film, and steep, at least a couple of hours.

Remove tea bags, pit dates and place them into a small saucepan, along with Earl Greay tea. Bring to a boil over medium heat, and simmer, 4 to 5 minutes, until softened. Once the dates are softened, quickly blend with a hand-held blender. Return over medium heat and stir in dark brown sugar. Bring back to the boil, and simer, stirring often until jam thickens, about 4 minutes.

Pour hot jam into a small, sterelized air-tight jar. Close tightly, and let cool completely.