Moroccan Coffee & Date Dessert

Ingredients:

Moroccan Coffee and Date Dessert
Ingredients:
14 oz / 400 g stone less dates
15 fl oz / 450 ml strong black coffee
10 cardamom pods
1 heaped teaspoon sugar

Method: 

Put the dates in a large bowl.
Brew the coffee, measure out the correct amount in a measuring jug and add the sugar to it. With the handle of a knife gently crush the cardamom pods and their seeds. Add these to the coffee.
Stir the coffee mix until the sugar has dissolved. Taste and add a little more sugar at this point if the coffee is too bitter - it should still have a bit of a 'bite', however. Note: If using coffee liqueur, add this first and adjust the amount of sugar accordingly.
Leave the coffee to stand for 5 minutes to allow the flavours to develop before pouring over the dates through a sieve. Discard the cardamom pods and seeds.
Let the coffee cool for about 10 minutes before transferring the bowl to the fridge to chill.
The dessert should ideally stand in the fridge for 24 hours before being eaten, as the flavours will continue to develop and the coffee sauce become thick and syrupy. But for a dessert the same day, give it at least an hour.
Divide the dates between four colourful bowls and serve with thick yogurt or quark to offset the dessert's sweetness.