2 teaspoons fresh orange juice (about 1 medium orange)
12 pitted Medjool dates
4 slices bacon, cut into thirds
Cane Syrup Sauce (recipe follows), to serve
Cane Syrup Sauce
½ cup chicken broth
⅓ cup cane syrup
1 tablespoon hot sauce
¼ teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, cubed
1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425°.
In a small bowl, stir together goat cheese and orange zest and juice. Stuff each date with about 1 teaspoon goat cheese mixture, and wrap with 1 piece of bacon. Secure with a wooden pick, and place on a rimmed baking sheet.
Bake until bacon is evenly cooked, 13 to 15 minutes, turning dates halfway through baking. Serve warm with Cane Syrup Sauce.
Cane Syrup Sauce
In a small stockpot, bring broth to a boil over medium-high heat. Add cane syrup, hot sauce, and Cajun seasoning, and cook until slightly reduced, 7 to 9 minutes.
Add butter and sherry to broth mixture, and cook, whisking constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat, and let cool slightly. Refrigerate for up to 1 day.
Recipe by Louisiana Cookin' at https://louisianacookin.com/bacon-wrapped-dates/