Date Preserve in Syrup

• 2 pounds fresh yellow or red dates
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/23/4 cup blanched almonds (optional)
• 4 1/2 cups sugar
• 8 cloves

1. Wash the dates well, peel them if you wish, and put them in a pan with water to cover (about 4 1/2 cups) and the lemon juice.
2. Bring to the boil and simmer, covered, for 1 hour, or until they are soft, adding a little water, if necessary, to keep them covered.
3. Lift them out of their water with a slotted spoon, and when they are cool enough to handle, push the pits out with a skewer or knitting needle.
4. You will get the knack of doing it without breaking the dates.
5. It helps to press them tightly in your hand.
6. If you like, replace each pit with a blanched almond through the same hole.
7. Add sugar and cloves to the date liquor and bring to the boil.
8. Simmer for a few minutes, until the sugar is dissolved, then drop in the dates and cook for a further 2030 minutes.
9. Lift the dates out carefully with a slotted spoon and put them in a clean glass jar, burying the cloves among them.
10. Thicken the syrup by boiling until it coats the back of a spoon or sets when tested on a cold plate.
11. Pour over the dates, let cool, and close the jar tightly.
12. These dates are also delicious stuffed with pieces of candied orange peel; use about 1 cup.

fresh yellow, lemon, blanched almonds, sugar, cloves

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/date-preserve-in-syrup-373637 (may not work)