DATE AND FIG SANDWICH

Ingredients

• 2 cups dates, stones removed (Pit the dates before measuring. Medjool or any soft variety works well.)
• 1 cup dried figs, washed (Rinse under cold water and pat dry before use. Remove any tough stems.)
• 1 cup raisins, seeded (Use seedless raisins or check for and remove any seeds.)
• 0 as needed water (Add just enough to loosen the chopped fruit mixture into a spreadable paste — start with 2–3 tablespoons and add more if needed.)
• 8 slices white bread, thinly sliced (Use a pre-sliced sandwich loaf or slice a fresh loaf as thinly as you can — about 5mm thick.)
• 0 as needed butter, softened (Soften at room temperature so it spreads easily without tearing the bread.)
• 4 whole dates sugared dates (One per sandwich for garnish. To make sugared dates: simply roll a pitted date in granulated sugar until coated.)

Instructions

1. 1Remove the stones from the dates if not already done — simply press each date open with your fingers and pull out the pit. Wash the figs under cold running water and pat them dry with a clean towel. Check the raisins for any seeds and remove them. Place the pitted dates, washed figs, and seeded raisins together on a large chopping board.
2. 2Using a large sharp knife, chop the dates, figs, and raisins together on the board until the mixture is very fine and the fruits begin to clump together into a rough paste. Take your time — the finer you chop, the smoother and easier to spread the final paste will be. Tip the chopped fruit into a small saucepan.
3. 3Add water to the saucepan with the chopped fruit — start with 2 tablespoons and stir to combine. The mixture should be thick but just loose enough to spread. If it still seems too stiff, add a little more water, one teaspoon at a time. Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Once boiling, cook for exactly 1 minute, stirring all the while, then remove from the heat. The paste will thicken slightly as it cools.
4. 4Transfer the paste to a bowl or leave it in the saucepan off the heat. Allow it to cool completely to room temperature before spreading — this takes about 20–30 minutes. Do not skip this step, as spreading hot paste will melt the butter and make the bread soggy.
5. 5Lay out all the bread slices on a clean work surface. Using a butter knife or small palette knife, spread a thin, even layer of softened butter all the way to the edges of each slice. Buttering every slice helps prevent the bread from becoming soggy and adds richness.
6. 6Spoon a generous amount of the cooled date, fig, and raisin paste onto one buttered side of four bread slices. Spread it evenly using the back of a spoon or a butter knife, going right to the edges. Place a second buttered slice on top of each, buttered side down, and press gently to sandwich them together.
7. 7To make the sugared date garnish: take one whole pitted date per sandwich and roll it in granulated sugar until fully coated on all sides. Place one sugared date on top of each assembled sandwich. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.