Great-Grandma Cathy's Date Loaf Candy

Handed down from my great-grandmother, and one of my father's all-time favorite holiday treats. Store in the refrigerator (rolled in the cloth), and it will keep for weeks. Otherwise, it becomes hard and sugary.

• Preparation Time: 10 mins
• Cooking Time: 20 mins
• Total Time: 30 mins
• Calories: 335 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• ¼ cup butter
• 1 cup chopped dates

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Stir sugar, milk, and butter together in a saucepan; bring to a boil without stirring once the boiling begins. Heat until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a rigid ball or until the mixture reaches 250 degrees F (120 degrees C), about 20 minutes. Immediately remove saucepan from heat and stir dates, pecans, and vanilla into the milk mixture.

Step 2

Thoroughly wet a piece of cheesecloth and lay out onto a flat work surface. Pour the candy mixture into the middle of the cloth and roll the cloth around it to shape into a log.

Step 3

Refrigerate until hard, 8 hours to overnight. Remove log from cloth and slice.