DATE ROLLS

This Recipe Makes ± 40 Biscuits (2½ Dozens)

Date Rolls are the must haves in any Indian household, especially during festive seasons. Do not worry, they are not bread rolls, they just get their name because of their shape. Date Rolls are pitted whole or chopped dates, enclosed in a biscuit (cookie) dough & then baked to perfection.

This recipe is egg free but it has a melt in your mouth texture.

This is also a great bake to gift someone & also perfect for those Eid & Diwali/Deepavali parcels.

Date Rolls Ingredients:

• 250 grams butter/margarine
• ± 40 Whole Pitted Dates
• Pinch of salt
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose or cake flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• ½ cup castor sugar
• 1 cup desiccated coconut
• 1 cup corn flour (maziena)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180° Celsius.
2. For this recipe, I am using whole pitted dates, however the crushed dates may be used.
3. 
4. Make sure that the butter/margarine is at room temperature
5. 
6. Add ½ cup of desiccated coconut to a bowl & set aside.
7. 
8. Add the butter/margarine to a mixing bowl.
9. 
10. Add in the castor sugar.
11. 
12. Cream the butter / margarine & the castor sugar until smooth. This can be done by hand using a wooden spoon or with an electric mixer.
13. 
14. Pour in the vanilla essence.
15. 
16. Thereafter, add in the all-purpose or cake flour, baking powder & a pinch of salt.
17. 
18. Thereafter, add in the corn flour (maziena) & the remaining ½ cup of desiccated coconut.
19. 
20. Roughly combine using a wooden spoon until it forms a crumbly mixture.
21. 
22. Next, use your hands to bring the dough together.
23. 
24. Pinch off a small portion of the dough.
25. 
26. Roll into a ball & then flatten with your palm.
27. 
28. Take a Whole Pitted Date & place it on the flattened dough.
29. 
30. Thereafter, fold the dough over the date & use your palms to roll the dough over the date to enclose it. Neaten the ends & remove any excess dough if required.
31. 
32. 
33. Continue this process until all the dough is used up.
34. 
35. 
36. Toss each roll into the bowl of desiccated coconut, making sure to coat it well.
37. 
38. Once done, place them onto an insulated or parchment/wax paper lined baking tray, keeping some space between each of them as they will rise a bit during baking.
39. 
40. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
41. 
42. Once baked, carefully remove from the oven.
43. 
44. The Date Rolls will be very soft so allow them to cool for 5 minutes on the hot tray before handling them.
45. 
46. After 5 minutes, carefully remove them from the baking tray & transfer them onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
47. 
48. 
49. Once cooled, plate & serve.
50. 
51. 
52. 
53. If you break these Date Rolls in half, you will see how the dates look like a filling, tucked in the center of the biscuit (cookie).
54. 
55. Store these Date Rolls in an airtight container for up to a month.
56. 
57. If you enjoyed these Date Rolls, you may also enjoy these varieties of biscuits (cookies).