Homemade Date Paste Recipe {Caramel + Chocolate Sauce} (2024)
By Amanda Le
Fall is here which means the holidays are right around the corner. Most of us probably hate to admit it but this also means consuming more sinful foods than we normally would, quite possibly in larger volumes as well. I know I’m guilty of this. Many of our favorite classic holiday dishes contain large amounts sugar that are dangerous to our health.
Desserts are not the only foods that contain high amounts of sugar either. There are plenty of savory dishes that call for sugar, but we need to be especially wary of the sugar in sauces. This is where people may not realize the presence of sugar.
It’s important to understand that not all sugar is the same. Refined sugar is stripped of all it’s nutrients during the refining process, leaving us with a byproduct that studies have shown is more addictive than heroin or cocaine. I was blown away when I first heard about this. We’re now at a point in our society where we are comparing sugar and drugs. Thinking about it makes me worry about the direction our country is heading in, if only I could spam everyone with my this recipe….
Refined sugar is everywhere these days, disguised with so many new names that it has become impossible to keep up with. Just because a label reads “no high fructose corn syrup” doesn’t mean it hasn’t been replaced with another harmful sweetener. Even more alarming, if foods do contain high fructose corn syrup they can still be labeled “100% natural” or “made with all natural ingredients” since there is absolutely no regulation over the term “NATURAL.”
The food industry has found every possible way around the rise in concerns regarding refined sugar, marketing their products with misleading and deceptive labels. That’s why sticking with ingredients you are 100% certain of is the only way to avoid the sugar trap.
When we know exactly what is in the foods we eat there’s no worrying about artificial flavoring or sneaky processed ingredients that are designed to trick us into thinking we are eating something that we are not. When we trick our minds into thinking we are having real food, we are only harming ourselves by depriving our body of the proper nutrients it needs.
All you really need for this recipe are dates and water if you want to simplify things, but I think adding vanilla gives the paste an even more enjoyable flavor. You can easily add powders like cacao and cinnamon if you really want to get fancy! I recommend buying dates in bulk since I use them in so many recipes, it’s my go to sweetener for pretty much everything. Plus they make for a great snack!
This date paste recipe can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for three weeks. I personally can’t imagine it lasting any longer than 3 days in mine though. Use date paste in recipes to replace liquid sweeteners, drizzle over desserts or swirl into a smoothie. One of my new favorite things to do with date paste is spread it on apple slices and add crunchy toppings like nuts, cacao nibs and coconut.
If this is your first time making date paste, you are going to realize how amazing it is and you’ll wish you had known about it sooner but no worries, you know about it now! Let me know if you try out this recipe and what you do with your date paste in the comments below!
4.8 from 4 reviews
Date Paste: Caramel + Chocolate Sauce
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Author: Amanda Le
Serves: 16 ounces
Ingredients
12 large medjool dates
1 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
optional: 2 tablespoons cacao powder
Instructions
Add all ingredients to a high-speed blender or food processor and blend until you get a creamy, uniform consistency.
Add in cacao powder for chocolate sauce.
Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
Notes
Use date paste to replace liquid sweeteners in your other recipes. If you are not using fresh soft dates, soak them in warm water for at least an hour before blending. If using smaller dates, add more until you get a desired consistency.
Date syrup is nectar extracted from dates. Its syrup like consistency is great for topping pancakes, used as a glaze in cooking, to sweeten baked goods and much more! Date paste is pitted and puréed dates best used for raw treats, smoothies and as a binder & sweetener in baked goods.
When substituting granulated sugar for Date Paste use a 1:1 ratio where for every 1 cup of sugar use 1 cup of Date Paste instead. If you are using it as a substitute for maple syrup use a 2:1 ratio where you double the amount of Date Paste per required amount of maple syrup.
Date paste will last safely up to 3 months in the refrigerator, however after 1 month it may start to dry out. Keep the paste sealed in an airtight container in the fridge to use as needed. You can also freeze date paste for up to 1 year! Simply put it in a freezer-safe airtight container or bag.
Date paste is essentially comprised of 100 percent macerated fresh dates. They are each cleaned, pitted, and softened in hot water before combining the mixture in a commercial food processor. Once blended, it produces a slightly sticky and thick consistency similar to other fruit-based spreads.
A tablespoon of date syrup contains more than twice the potassium, calcium, and magnesium levels of maple syrup or honey, with up to 10 times the antioxidants. Refined sugar has none of that.
Why is date paste good for you? Because, in addition to being a great natural sugar substitute and better for you than refined sugars, dates have many health benefits including: Being high in fiber, which is incredibly important for digestion. Being a source of potassium, copper, magnesium, manganese and B vitamins.
It is important to note that although dates are high in fiber and nutrients, they are still fairly high in calories and best consumed in moderation. Dates are a healthy substitute for white sugar in recipes due to their sweet taste, nutrients, fiber and antioxidants.
Lower the heat to medium and simmer until the liquid is thickened, coats the back of a spoon and is reduced by one-half or more, depending on how thick you want your syrup, 30 to 40 minutes. Let it cool completely, then store in a mason jar or other container, refrigerated, for up to 3 months.
Use double the amount of date paste when subbing for maple syrup. So, if a recipe calls for 1/2 cup of maple syrup, I'd recommend using 1 cup of date paste.
Yes, dates can be beneficial for relieving constipation. They are high in dietary fiber, which can help soften stools and promote regular bowel movements when consumed as part of a balanced diet.
It is ideal to have 100 g of dates or a handful of dates daily to get all the essential nutrients. However, the quantity to be consumed may differ from person to person based on calorie needs and underlying health conditions. You can ask a nutritionist how many dates you need to eat daily.
Dates are a little awkward to measure out, so if you are using medium sized Medjool dates than 10-12 dates is equal to about 1 cup. If you are using smaller dates it will obviously be more. If you are using a cup measure, be sure to really pack them in.
Both dates and date syrup contain the minerals calcium, potassium, and magnesium, but only in small amounts so they aren't considered good sources. So, all things are about equal, except for that all-important fiber.
Date syrup can also be used as a natural sweetener for smoothies, beverages, salad dressings, marinades, desserts and baked goods. Try swapping date syrup in place of maple syrup or honey and drizzle it over yogurt, oatmeal, pancakes or waffles.
For baking: You need to use less date syrup when replacing granulated sugar —a ratio of 2/3 cup date syrup for every 1 cup of sugar — and less liquid in the recipe. Or simply replace honey, maple syrup, or molasses with date syrup in baking recipes for a more caramel-like flavor that only dates can impart.
Introduction: My name is Tyson Zemlak, I am a excited, light, sparkling, super, open, fair, magnificent person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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