Since the Medjool variety is extremely sweet, choose the smallest in size so that their sweetness and texture will not overpower the other ingredients.
Ingredients (make 24 pieces)
Method
Preheat the oven to 245°C.
Cut a small slit down the centre of each date and carefully remove the pit while keeping the date intact as much as possible.
Whisk the goat cheese, zest, cayenne, and salt together in a small bowl until smooth. Using a teaspoon, stuff each date with the cheese mixture until the cavity is nearly full. Insert an almond in the centre of the cheese.
Wrap a bacon slice around the middle of each date and arrange them on an oven pan, seam side down, without overcrowding. Bake until the bacon is crisp, about 15 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving (the cheese will be very hot). Insert a toothpick into each date and serve warm.
Tip: Sliced or flaked almonds, with or without their mildly tannic skins, add eye appeal and a contrasting crunchiness to classic dishes such as green beans amandine or trout amandine. Use them in salads and as a topping for pastries and quick breads, such as muffins.
Did you know: Almond paste and marzipan, both made from ground almonds and sugar, can be bought in cans or rolls to use in baked goods. Almond paste contains almonds, sugar and a liquid. Marzipan is made by adding sugar and sometimes egg whites to almond paste, and is more pliable than paste. It is often tinted with colours and moulded into whimsical shapes.
Recipes from Almonds Recipes, History, Culture by Barbara Bryant and Betsy Fentress