Date Nut Roll - cooking recipe

Ingredients

3 cups sugar
1 cup evaporated milk
3 tablespoons butter or 3 tablespoons margarine
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 cup dates, chopped
1 cup pecans or 1 cup walnuts, chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 ounces semisweet chocolate pieces

Preparation

In heavy, 3-qt saucepan, combine sugar, milk, butter and corn syrup.
Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until sugar dissolves and mixture comes to boiling; add dates.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until candy thermometer registers 238\u00b0F degrees, or until a little in cold water forms a soft ball.
Remove from heat.
Add nuts and vanilla.
Beat until thick.
Turn out on board; divide in half.
Shape each half into a roll 1 3/4\" in diameter; wrap in waxed paper; refrigerate at least 1 hour before coating with chocolate.
In top of double boiler, melt chocolate pieces over hot, not boiling, water.
Remove from heat.
Remove date rolls from refrigerator; spread half of chocolate over each roll; spreading to coat evenly all over.
Refrigerate until chocolate is hard; wrap in waxed paper until ready to cut into slices 1/3\" thick.