Date paste is a wonderful way to replace refined sugar in the kitchen. The natural sweetness of dates provides a mild caramel flavor and goes perfectly with cakes, muffins, porridge, or smoothies.
To make it yourself, simply cook the fruit until soft and then purée it into a creamy mixture. In just a few minutes, you have a healthy sweetener that will keep in the refrigerator for several days. Better than store-bought date purée.
Date paste
Making your own date paste is very easy and a perfect alternative to refined sugar. With just a few ingredients, you can create a natural sweetener for cakes, desserts, or smoothies. The paste can be made with either Deglet Nour dates or Medjool dates. Medjool dates are slightly softer in consistency than Deglet Nour dates.
Date paste
Ingredients
Method
- Pit the dates and chop them into small pieces.
- Simmer with the water in a pot for about 10-15 minutes.
- Then purée with a hand blender until smooth. Remove any excess water beforehand and add back as needed to create a mushy consistency.
- If you want to make syrup, simmer the date mixture with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice for approx. 30–45 minutes. Add a little water if necessary. Then purée.
- Place a strainer cloth over a bowl and pour the pureed date mixture into the cloth. Then squeeze the cloth as tightly as possible.
- The finished date syrup can be poured into jars and sealed airtight. It will keep in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks.
Tip
Medjool dates are softer and do not necessarily need to be cooked. Simply soak and purée them. If the dates are very dry, they should be soaked in warm water for at least 10–20 minutes. This makes them easier to purée and gives the paste a particularly creamy consistency. Make sure that there is not too much water when puréeing.
You can find even more ideas under the heading “Do it yourself.”
Interesting to know
In addition to natural fruit sugar, dates also contain fiber, minerals, and antioxidants. Unlike refined sugar, they provide additional nutrients and add a pleasant caramel sweetness to baked goods.
