Dates have been enjoyed by people globally for centuries. However, date paste is a relatively novel concept that is quickly gaining fame in the world today. As individuals concentrate on adhering to clean eating patterns, the demand for natural sweeteners as a substitute for refined sugar is continually rising.
Date paste expertly caters to that need for an organic sweetener. It is composed entirely of fresh dates, which possess a naturally sweet taste and chewy texture perfect for baking. This fruit paste has also proven useful for creating various vegan and gluten-free recipes.
How Date Paste Is Made
Date paste contains just macerated fresh dates combined with water, with absolutely no extra ingredients. The dates are initially cleaned of any impurities before pitting them to eliminate the hard seed found inside the fruit. They then soak in hot water to soften them up and make them easier to blend. Later, the mixture feeds into a commercial food processor that blitzes the ingredients into a slightly sticky, thick paste similar to nut butter.
Although the raw fruit boasts a dark appearance, the date paste turns brown, not too light or dark. Its fragrance is just as sweet as its taste! That inherent sugary flavor makes date paste a fantastic alternative to cane sugar in recipes, as you'll soon discover.
Benefits of Choosing Date Paste
Since date paste originates directly from fresh dates, it contains the same stellar nutritional profile, including:
- Fiber - Necessary for healthy digestion and gut bacteria
- Potassium - Vital for heart health and blood pressure regulation
- Magnesium & manganese - Supports bone strength and metabolism
- Antioxidant flavonoids - Reduces inflammation and enhances immunity
- Iron - Improves blood health and prevents anemia
So while date paste sweetens food, it also supplies extra nutrition from whole fruit often lacking in processed sugar. The natural paste offers additional perks other sweeteners can't provide too.
Besides imparting sweetness, the tender date texture gives baked products a chewy and moist quality. Date paste also contains very little moisture, so it improves preservation and yields shelf-stable treats. Unlike other sticky fruits high in water content, dates are relatively dry.
The paste's superb consistency likewise makes it possible to replace butter or oil in some recipes. For instance, when making vegan desserts, the dates' thickness helps bind ingredients together seamlessly without eggs. It likewise emulsifies salad dressings when whisked in, acting as a natural stabilizer.
Key Takeaway: Date paste does more than provide a sweet flavor, it also improves a dish's texture and adds valuable nutrients missing from regular sugar.
Date Paste Baking Substitutions
Bakers mainly utilize date paste to replace refined sugar in recipes. However, it may swap for other common sweeteners often called for too:
- Sugar - Use equal amounts of date paste to replace white or brown sugar; may need to reduce liquids slightly
- Honey - Sub an extra 1/4 cup paste per 1 cup honey
- Maple syrup - Add 1/3 cup additional paste per 1 cup maple syrup
Remember to lower any liquids in a recipe by a couple tablespoons if the dough or batter seems too thin. Date paste possesses some inherent moisture, unlike granulated sugar.
Test baked goods the first try and tweak quantities in the future as required to achieve your ideal sweetness and texture. Like with any substitution, figuring out the right balance takes a little trial and error based on personal taste.
Tip: Boost recipe moisture with nondairy milk or fruit purée if any date-sweetened treats turn out too dry. Applesauce works great in sufficiently moist cakes and cookies.
Helpful Date Paste Baking Tips
Adjusting Texture
Use slightly more paste than the volume of honey or maple syrup needed, as those liquids contain more water than dates. Excess date paste is better than too little for preventing dryness.
Retaining Moisture
Consider reducing other wet ingredients called for in a recipe by a couple tablespoons to account for the natural moisture in the dates. But don't eliminate all liquids or the recipe may emerge too dense.
Achieving Rise
Always mix baking soda and vinegar into the batter separately. This activates the leavening agents properly to put air into date paste recipes, giving a good rise despite the heavier texture.
Avoiding Becoming Dense
Add around 1 teaspoon baking powder per cup of date paste used to sufficiently aerate the dough or batter. The starch aids rising to balance out the thick fruit paste during baking.
Tip: If any recipe turns out compact or cakey from too much moisture, stir a couple teaspoons cornstarch into the date paste before adding it next time.
7 Common Desserts Using Date Paste
Food producers can get extremely creative with date paste as a sugar alternative in recipes. But home cooks generally stick to the basics when initially experimenting with this fruit-based sweetener. Here are some classic desserts you can start whipping up in your own kitchen:
1. Date Muffins
Considered one of the healthiest date-based baked goods, these muffins contain no added fats or refined sweeteners. They please vegans and individuals with food intolerances. The recipe boasts incredible flexibility too, as you may incorporate various mix-ins like nuts, spices, or dried fruit. Carrot date muffins, date pecan muffins, and orange date muffins are all delightful options!
2. Date Paste Cookies
An easy cookie recipe needing just a few standard ingredients plus date paste for natural sweetness. Feel free to swirl peanut butter or chocolate chips into the batter too. Or top baked cookies with chopped nuts for varied texture. These treats bake up tender on the inside with slightly crisp edges.
3. Fudgy Date Brownies
A chocolate lover's dream come true. These indulgent squares offer extreme decadence thanks to the combo of dark cocoa powder and sticky dates. They come together quickly too, as the recipe requires no weeding through a mile-long ingredient list. Simply mix up a smooth batter and bake until fudgy perfection.
Variation: Blonde date brownies with brown sugar and butterscotch chips
4. Date Paste Scuffins
This baked good crosses between a savory scone and sweet muffin. Scuffins utilize similar ingredients as scones but incorporate fresh or dried fruit for natural sugary zing. The date paste imparts extra nutrition while holding the batter together for hearty, cake-like texture. They're beyond easy to whip together fast too.
Variation: Apple cinnamon date scuffins with oats and walnuts
5. Date Balls
These no-bake treats come together in only fifteen minutes flat. All you need to do is mix together Medjool dates and nuts of choice before rolling into bite-size balls and coating with toppings like coconut, cocoa powder, shredded coconut. Date paste is often used rather than whole pitted dates since its smooth texture makes shaping simple. Let balls chill to set before enjoying.
6. Date Fruit Pizza
This showstopping dessert tastes reminiscent of a sugary jam tart. Place your favorite store-bought sugar cookie or pie dough into a round pizza pan before spreading thick date paste atop it. Decorate artistically with fresh fruit like kiwi, berries, and mango before slicing into triangular pizza slices. Serve immediately or pop it back into the warm oven for five minutes to slightly soften fruit toppings right before guests arrive.
7. Strawberry Date Shake
Cool down during hot summer months with this thirst-quenching beverage. Strawberry and dates pair amazingly together, as the berries offer a slightly tart contrast to the sticky sweet Medjools. After blending up two cups of frozen strawberries with one cup fresh date paste and nondairy milk, top shakes off with whipped coconut cream then sip through a colorful twisty straw if desired!
6 Savory Dishes Using Date Paste
Believe it or not, dates work extremely well in various savory recipes too, not only sweet baked goods. Their formidable sticky texture and high fiber content makes date paste an optimal addition for binding ingredients together seamlessly in numerous meatless dishes. Check out these great ideas for putting dates to work in main courses and sides:
1. Veggie Date Sliders
Mix together cooked brown rice, walnuts, date paste and seasonings before shaping into mini slider patties and pan-frying until crisp. Stack atop mini burger buns alongside all your favorite classic toppings. Date paste holds together the grain and nut mixture perfectly without any eggs. Enjoy as a lighter lunch or vegetarian dinner main.
2. Date Appetizer Meatballs
Soak pitted dates in hot vegetable broth before blending together into paste. Then mix with plant-based ground meat, bread crumbs, and seasonings until fully incorporated. Shape into balls and bake until browned then toss through your preferred sauce, such as barbecue, sweet chili, or teriyaki. Skewer before serving as tasty party appetizers.
3. Date Paste Stir Fry Sauce
Skip store-bought condiments loaded with scary-sounding ingredients and chemicals. Instead, make this simple homemade stir fry sauce in just two minutes flat! Whisk together coconut aminos, chili paste, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger and date paste for the ideal creamy texture and balanced flavor. Then pour over a pan of sizzling mixed vegetables and enjoy!
4. Date Syrup Salad Dressing
Skip sugary store-bought salad dressings and whip up your own gourmet version easily instead while reaping the benefits of antioxidant-rich dates! Simply purée together lemon juice, olive oil, mustard, basil, garlic and date paste in a blender or food processor until fully smooth and pourable. Drizzle atop mixed greens or roasted veggies.
5. Date Paste Stuffed Mushrooms
Clean out portobello mushroom caps before mixing cooked quinoa, spinach, onion and date paste together until fully incorporated. Season filling to taste then spoon mixture into mushroom caps and top with panko breadcrumbs. Bake stuffed mushrooms until hot and bubbling before garnishing with parsley and tearing into with gusto!
6. No-Bake Date Bars
A completely raw snack needing zero time in the oven, these fiber-filled bars come together in just thirty minutes. Simply process together almonds, pecans, coconut shreds, oats, cinnamon, vanilla, almond butter and gooey date paste before firmly pressing into bars and slicing. They require no dehydrating either...just brief chilling!
Tips for Homemade Date Paste Success
Want to start crafting homemade date paste rather than buying it? Check out these helpful pointers for ensuring success blending up delicious batches easily right from your own kitchen:
- Choose soft and moist Medjool or Deglet Noor dates, avoiding dried out or hard specimens
- Always de-pit dates first for easier blending
- Soak harder dates briefly in just enough hot water to cover them until slightly softened
- Use a powerful blender for smooth, lump-free paste
- Add just a splash of nondairy milk if mixture seems too dry
- Thin with extra liquid if paste appears overly thick
- Chill in an airtight container for storing up to one month
Key Takeaway: Taking a few minutes to create homemade date paste means total control over ingredients plus the option to choose organic dates for an all-natural product.
Unique Ways to Enjoy Date Paste
Looking for even more creative ways to reap the benefits of sweet Medjool dates? Then check out these unique applications for decadent date paste beyond usual baked desserts and drinks:
- Overnight Oats - Stir date paste into overnight oatmeal along with chia seeds, nuts and nondairy milk for extra creaminess
- Sweet Potato Toast - Schmear date paste atop sweet potato toast then sprinkle with cinnamon and nuts
- Frozen Banana Soft Serve - Blend frozen banana chunks with Medjool date paste for dairy-free ice cream Smoothie Creamer - Add date paste to fruit smoothies rather than sugary creamers for natural thickness
- Chocolate Hazelnut Spread - Process hazelnuts and cocoa powder with date paste for a nutella dupe dip
- Homemade Applesauce - Mix freshly cooked applesauce with date paste, vanilla and cinnamon
- Healthy Pancake Syrup - Simmer date paste with water and maple extract then drizzle over pancakes
And don't limit date paste solely to food recipes! You can also incorporate it into homemade beauty products like organic shampoos, face masks and body scrubs. Dates offer fantastic benefits for nourishing skin and hair too.
FAQs
What types of dates work best for making paste?
Medjool and Deglet Noor dates perform wonderfully for creating homemade paste. They both possess a soft, plump texture perfect for blending smooth.
Can you freeze extra homemade date paste?
Yes! Portion homemade date paste into ice cube trays or muffin cups before freezing solid, then transfer frozen cubes to resealable bags for easy use straight from the freezer whenever needed.
What is the best way to thin thick date paste?
If your date paste seems too dense, stir in small splashes of nondairy milk until it reaches the perfect dipping or drizzling consistency. Almond and coconut milk work wonderfully for thinning.
Conclusion
As you've discovered, uses for date paste extend way beyond just desserts to both sweet and savory dishes plus even DIY body care products. Though this fruit-based ingredient is still relatively new on the specialty scene, its popularity climbing fast.
The natural paste not only imparts delicious flavor but also improves both the nutrition and texture of recipes too. So do your body and tastebuds a huge favor by incorporating this stellar superfood into your repertoire immediately.