Looking for a natural sweetener made from 2 ingredients? Let me show you how to make date paste, the healthy sweetener!
Have you ever wondered how to make date paste? If you've never tried this natural and delicious sweetener, you're missing out!
Date paste is pretty special. Not only is it relatively cheap and quick to make, but it's also packed with nutrients and minerals.
Date paste is comparatively low in sugar compared with many other sweeteners like maple syrup and cane sugar, and it also provides a lot of fibre which you don't find it sugars and syrups. If you've never tried it, you really should!
It's versatile, and can be used in hot drinks (like my Rose Hot Chocolate) or baking in the same way you'd use other liquid sweeteners. You may find you need to sub in slightly more date paste than you would your regular sweetener however.
It works really well in cookies and cakes as well as in raw desserts and treats. If you aren't a fan of the taste of dates, don't worry. Once you mix the paste with your other ingredients the flavour is pretty indistinct.
Date paste does lend a slightly rich, molasses flavour to some baking, but otherwise the flavour is fairly mild.
HOW TO MAKE DATE PASTE - TIPS
This date paste recipe is so simple! There's very little to it and you'll be amazed how quickly you can make your own delicious, healthy sweetener. There are a couple of points to note however:
1. ALWAYS pit your dates before you soak and blend them. Even if the packaging says they're already pitted, occasionally you'll find a stone that was missed, so check them. Date stones/pits are really hard and the last thing you want is to find fragments in your otherwise-smooth paste! Trust me, I've been there and it's not a fun experience.
2. Use a high speed blender. You want your date paste to be as smooth as possible and a food processor or low speed blender may struggle to get this effect. If you're going to use either of these, soak your dates for an extra 15 minutes (30 minutes total). This will ensure they're as soft as possible before blending.
3. Turn your blender up high as soon as possible. It helps break the dates down faster and means they get stuck in the bottom of the blender less. Thanks to Natalie of Feasting on Fruit for this handy tip!
DRINKS THIS DATE PASTE WORKS WELL IN:
How to Make Date Paste
Ingredients
- 1 tightly packed cup pitted dates
- ¾ cup hot, recently boiled water (it doesn't need to be boiling)
Instructions
- Ensure all your dates are pitted, and add them to a medium-sized bowl.
- Cover them with ¾ cup hot water and leave to soak for 15 minutes.
- Transfer the dates AND water to a high speed blender and blend for about 1 minute. You may need to scrape the sides of the blender down during this time, then continue blending.
- It really helps with this recipe if you turn the power up to high as soon as possible - this helps the dates break down faster and get less stuck in the bottom of the blender.
- Once your dates are blended to a smooth paste, that's it!
- Store your date paste in a glass jar in the fridge until ready for use. You can also freeze it.
Notes
If you’ve tried this recipe, please leave a comment or tip for others below. I'd love to know how you’ve made it your own!
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sheenam @ thetwincookingproject
Never knew it was that simple! Looks amazing.
Elizabeth
I didn't either until recently! Was convinced it involved complicated cooking and various ingredients. 🙂