“And visions of sugarplums danced in their heads..” Have you ever wondered what a sugarplum was? In Victorian times these candied fruits were a traditional Christmas treat. We found a recipe on the “Earthbound Farm” website , and thought you might like to try it. Please keep in mind that these need to “mellow” for about three days in your refrigerator before serving them, so plan ahead.  

Ingredients

 Directions
In a medium-size bowl, combine the cherries, pineapple, and coconut. Add the egg white and stir to coat the fruits. Sift in the confectioners’ sugar and stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth and stiff. Cover the bowl tightly with a lid or plastic wrap, and refrigerate the mixture for at least 3 days to allow the fruit to mellow.
With a small sharp knife, cut a lengthwise slit on one side of each date. Carefully remove the pit from each date; discard pits.
Place the fruit filling in a pastry bag (no tip needed); if your pastry bag is small, do this in batches. Pipe some of the filling into each date. Refrigerate the sugarplums, covered, for up to a week.