Dates with butter

Split dates filled with a small pat of butter, a rich no-cook bite.

Ingredients

• 🌴 16 soft medium-to-large dates
• 🧈 40 g unsalted butter, softened but not melted
• 🌿 1 pinch cardamom or cinnamon, optional
• 🥜 2 tablespoons unsalted roasted peanuts or almonds, crushed
• 🧂 1 small pinch fine salt, optional
• 🍋 A little lemon zest, optional

Preparation

🧼 Wash your hands and prepare a clean plate. Soften butter briefly without melting it.

🌴 Slit dates lengthwise and remove pits. Discard fruit that is fermented, moldy or unusually wet.

🧈 Mix softened butter with cardamom or cinnamon and a tiny pinch of salt if desired.

🥄 Place a small pat in each date without filling to the edge.

🥜 Add crushed peanuts or almonds and optional lemon zest.

❄️ Serve at once or chill briefly to firm the butter; let it lose its hard chill before serving.