As a kid in Israel, whenever I spotted a palm tree with clusters of yellow dates, I would run to it and look at the ground for fallen fruits. I would look for the ones that were intact. If they were still yellow and firm, I’d rub their skins on my pants, take a tiny bite out of one to check if it was astringent before putting the whole fruit in my mouth. If it was ripe, sticky, and dusty, I would gently squeeze it into my mouth, discard the skin, and spit out the pit. Then I would repeat the process. 

Tamar (date in Hebrew) was the toffee of the Middle East and North Africa long before it became the main ingredient in energy bars, consumed by ancient peoples on their treks throughout the region. Their flesh was—and still is—used to fill pastries, such as Ma’amul—the cookie that always gets me off the no-sugar path. Their syrup (Silan) is used like maple syrup or honey, and is made by boiling dates in water, filtering the juice, and then boiling it again to reduce it into a dark, almost black syrup.

My grandmother used to stuff dates with walnuts or marzipan, and serve them with mint tea at the end of a meal, or as a treat for guests. You would find the filled fruit at every Sephardic Jewish wedding, bar mitzvah, Mimuna (the celebration of the last day of Passover), and henna celebration. Sephardic Jews also add one or two dates to the Hamin (Shabbat overnight stew) to give it a mild sweetness and rich color.

My grandmother used to stuff them with walnuts and marzipan, and serve them with mint tea at the end of a meal, or when she had guests. You would find that treat in every Sephardic Jews’ wedding, bar mitzvah, Mimuna, and henna celebration. Sephardic Jews also add one or two dates to the Hamin (Shabbat overnight stew) to give it a mild sweetness and rich color.

I introduced my boys to dates early, but they don’t like them unless I turn them into truffles or these toffees.

Because dates are overly sweet, they need nuts or something acidic to balance their sweetness. When you blend them with apple cider vinegar and salt, they taste like caramel. We topped our caramels with salted truffle Marcona almonds from Trader Joe’s, and it was Michelin-star exquisite.

If you’re asking yourself what present you should give a friend who already has everything, the answer is these candies. They make a great gift. Most people I know appreciate thoughtful homemade delicious goodies. Just put the wrapped candies in a nice box or wrap them in a cellophane and tie with a satin bow.

Health note: While date sugar is unrefined and slightly healthier than white processed sugar, it’s still sugar. 1 medjool date contains 16 grams of sugar. Try to limit yourself to 1-2 dates a day. I feel sick when I’m overindulging on them.

A few notes before you make these delightful caramels:

• Use unpitted Medjool dates and pit them yourself. Pitted dates are usually not as moist and gooey.
• As you pit each date, check the center carefully for mold—discard any that show signs of spoilage.
• You can either make the caramel wrappers by cutting a large parchment sheet into small rectangles or buy them on Amazon. 
• Don’t tell your “customers” that they’re made with dates. Wait until you hear “Wow, those are delicious!”