Bacon Wrapped Dates with Bourbon Caramel Sauce

This classic 5 ingredient appetizer is incredibly easy to make and absolutely a hit when serving up to guests and family over the holidays or for get-togethers. The traditional palette pairing of salty and sweet in these bacon wrapped dates delivers every time

Ingredients for this recipe:

• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• ½ stick unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
• 3 tablespoons bourbon or whiskey
• 13 strips medium thick cut bacon cut in half
• 25 pitted Medjool Dates
• 2 teaspoons canola oil

Makes 25
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Procedures:

1. Preheat the oven to 325°.
2. Add the brown sugar, butter and whipped cream to a medium size sauce pot and cook over low to medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until cooked and smooth. See notes on texture below. Set aside.
3. Wrap each date in a ½ slice piece of bacon and set aside.
4. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat and place each bacon wrapped date bacon seam side down and cook for 3-4 minutes per side or until the bacon is browned and crispy. See note on cooking it batches.
5. Drain the rendered bacon fat and add the crisp bacon wrapped dates back into the pan and pour the caramel over top.
6. Bake in the oven at 325° for 15-17 minutes.
7. Serve hot.

CHEF NOTES:
• MAKE AHEAD: You can make the bacon wrapped dates 2 days ahead of time. The day you plan on serving them, add them to a pot, cover with a lid and cook over low heat until hot.
• HOW TO REHEAT: add them to a pot, cover with a lid and cook over low heat until hot. You can also heat in the microwave until hot or place them on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper and bake them at 325° for 10-12 minutes or until hot.
• HOW TO STORE: Keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
• HOW TO FREEZE: These do not freeze that well, but you can place them in the freezer covered for up to 2 months. Thaw for 1 full day before reheating.
• Stay away from any flavored bacon to wrap the dates in.
• Cook the bacon wrapped dates in batches if there isn’t enough room in the pan.
• When you cook them with the end of the bacon seam side down into the pan it cooks the bacon together sealing it together so no need for a toothpick.
• Don’t worry if the sides of the bacon don’t get cooked while crisping it in the pan as it will finish cooking in the oven.