
A festive and savory twist on the classic appetizer, featuring sweet prunes stuffed with a fragrant sage and onion sausagemeat. Wrapped in smoky streaky bacon and baked until perfectly crisp, these bite-sized treats are the ultimate holiday party snack.
Prepare the onion base: Melt the butter in a small pan over low heat. Add the finely chopped onion and sauté for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and turns a light golden color. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool completely.
Make the sausage stuffing: Squeeze the sausagemeat out of the skins into a medium mixing bowl. Add the cooled fried onions, dried sage, a fresh grating of nutmeg, and a generous amount of black pepper. Use your hands to mix the ingredients until thoroughly combined.
Assemble the stuffing balls: Divide the sausage mixture into 12 equal portions and roll each into a small, neat ball.
Stuff the prunes: Carefully split each prune down the middle lengthwise, opening it out like a book. Place one sausage ball into the center of each prune and wrap the fruit around the meat to encase it.
Wrap with bacon: Wrap a rasher of smoked streaky bacon around each stuffed prune. Secure the bacon in place by threading a cocktail stick through the loose ends.
Bake until golden: Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan/gas 7). Arrange the devils on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Lightly brush each one with sunflower oil and bake for 15–20 minutes until the bacon is golden and crispy and the sausage stuffing is fully cooked.
You can assemble these up to 24 hours in advance and store them covered in the refrigerator. For a variation, try using large Medjool dates instead of prunes for a richer, honey-like sweetness.