"Bride's Finger" Date Rolls with Orange Flower Water-Honey Syrup

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup clear, light honey, such as orange blossom
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons orange blossom water, or more to taste
• 3/4 pound pitted Californian dates
• Water
• About 8 sheets phyllo (this will depend on the size of the sheets you purchase)
• 1/4 pound melted butter
• 1/2 cup finely chopped toasted walnuts or pistachios

Directions

In a small saucepan combine the honey and water and bring to a boil. Cook for 1 minute then remove from the heat and set aside to cool completely. When cooled, add the orange blossom water and stir to combine. Set aside to cool.

In the bowl of a food processor, add the dates and pulse, adding water 1 teaspoon at a time, as necessary, to form a soft paste. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

Cut the phyllo sheets into strips about 4 1/2 to 5-inches wide and 12 to 14-inches long and stack them. Orient the sheets of phyllo with 1 of the short sides closest to you and the length of the strip forming a line perpendicular to your body. Lightly brush the top piece of phyllo with some of the melted butter and place about 1 tablespoon of the filling along the edge closest to you in a line parallel to the edge, leaving about 1-inch of space on both ends. Using your fingers, roll the phyllo sheet up and over the date filling, then continue rolling upwards and away from you until you have used about 1/2 of the length of the phyllo. Turn both outer edges inwards over the filling so that the roll is now sealed on all sides, and continue rolling until you have rolled the entire piece of phyllo around the filling. Transfer to a baking sheet and repeat with the remaining filling and remaining phyllo sheets. Brush the tops of the rolls with some of the remaining melted butter and bake until lightly golden and crisp, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside until cool enough to handle but still warm. Dip the rolls briefly in the cooled honey syrup and arrange on a serving dish. When ready to serve, pour the remaining syrup over the rolls and sprinkle with the chopped nuts.

These are best served within several hours after baking.