Dates have been enjoyed by millions of people worldwide for generations. However, date paste is a relatively new concept that quickly gains popularity in the United States. As many people focus on maintaining clean eating habits, there has been a demand for organic sweeteners as an alternative for artificial or cane sugars.
That is where date paste comes in to help. It is made using only fresh dates that boast a sweet flavor and juicy consistency. The paste has also proven useful when baking various vegan and gluten-free desserts.
This blog post will inform you about all the ways in which you can use date paste when cooking or baking. It will also explain how our date paste is made and a few helpful tips to ensure your next date-infused dish turns out smoothly.
What Is Date Paste?
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.
The dried fruit paste has a prominent date flavor that pairs well with numerous dishes, especially baked goods. Despite the fruit’s original dark color, it turns out light brown. The paste’s aroma is almost nearly as sweet as it tastes, which is essential when baking delicious desserts.
Is Date Paste Healthy?
Since our date paste is made directly from the sticky date fruit, it boasts the same noteworthy nutritional benefits. These juicy fruits are a terrific source of fiber, manganese, potassium, and B vitamins. They are packed with gut-healthy probiotics that aid your digestive system and may relieve symptoms of cramps. Dates also contain numerous immune-boosting antioxidants, including flavonoids that work to reduce inflammation throughout one’s entire body.
However, there are even more health benefits that this superfood has to offer. Be sure to check out our date nutrition page in our resource section if you would like to learn more about why you should consider adding more of the fruit into your diet.
Helpful Tips For Baking With Date Paste
Date paste is a gamechanger when it comes to baking. It can act as an organic sweetener and elevate a dish’s texture. Plus, the paste boasts a delectable flavor with subtle hints of caramel and fruitiness. When baking with dates, the rule of thumb is a 1:1 ratio of date paste for the required amount of sugar.
You may incorporate dates into a wide range of baked goods. It may be used as a substitute for standard butter or nut-based butter varieties in specific recipes. The date-infused syrup is a popular ingredient in various vegan-friendly desserts since it is made with only one component – fresh dates! Even though it tastes sweet, you can still benefit from the fruit’s stellar nutritional profile.
Feel free to check out our corresponding blog post on baking with dates if you want to learn more. In addition, we include instructions on how you can whip up your own version of the fruit- based paste from the comfort of your home.
Helpful Tips For Cooking With Date Paste
Even though dates are pretty sweet, you can incorporate this fruit-based paste into numerous savory dishes. It balances nicely with salty and even hotter seasonings like chili powder or cayenne pepper.
Dates also complement cured meats and cheeses well, making the fruits lovely additions to antipasti platters. They may also be stuffed with savory ingredients for a tasty appetizer option. Thus, we are sure that you can incorporate date paste into a variety of meat-based dishes as a marinade or stuffing.
If you are interested in discovering some more savory date-based recipes, be sure to review our latest blog post about fourteen ways you can feature the dried fruit on your menu. We also highlight food and beverage pairings that may prove handy when developing your own date recipes.
Tasty Meals You Can Make Using Date Paste
Baked goods and Bars
Due to its consistency and flavor, date paste is a fantastic addition to moist baked goods like brownies, cakes, and muffins. It is also a great binder for bars It may be used as an all-natural substitute for sugar, which is perfect for gluten-free recipes. Date paste can also improve a dessert’s texture since it is relatively soft and adds depth. You will notice that date-infused baked goods are usually mild and chewy.
Fruit Smoothies
You can add some of this superfood-infused paste into your blended fruit smoothies for a super healthy and sweet beverage. The paste also boasts the ideal texture for mixing into your smoothies since it is already blended. Our team cannot stop raving about these delightful orange dates and nutmeg smoothies that adequately highlight the fruit’s unique flavor. Dates pair with tangy fruits, such as oranges, limes, and grapefruits. The acidity of the citrus combined with the fruit’s candy-like flavor produces a well-balanced smoothie. The sticky fruits also taste great alongside apples, bananas, and various nut varieties.
Sauces or Marinades
One way that you can incorporate date paste into savory meat dishes is by adding it to your marinade. It can be mixed with other sauces and spices or used on its own if you are looking for a more prevalent date taste. The paste also makes a tasty addition to sauces, including the Desert Valley Team’s scrumptious date pasted barbecue sauce. It is made with our date paste, balsamic vinegar, tomato sauce, tomato paste, soy sauce, water, and spices like chili powder and paprika. We are sure that this lovely sauce will pair perfectly with poultry, burgers, and even roasted cauliflower.
Cinnamon Rolls
Those in the market for a fun and easy-to-make dessert are in luck. Date paste cinnamon rolls are finger-licking good and a must-try dessert. You need to coat the pastry dough with the paste and other necessary filling ingredients (often cinnamon, brown sugar, and butter). However, you may feel free to omit butter since the paste provides a similar consistency for the cinnamon rolls. Bake your dough until it is golden brown. The sticky buns come out perfect every time and are sure to be a hit if you serve them at your next event!
Fruit Dips
Chips and dips are a dinner party essential. Although, fruit-based dips do not receive nearly as much credit as they deserve. They are refreshing, customizable, and of course, good for you. Adding date paste to your fruit dip will quickly bring your dish to new heights. The sticky fruits provide numerous health benefits and natural sweetness. Furthermore, the paste is the perfect consistency to serve on its own as a dip if you do not have any other fruits on hand. It is commonly served with other fresh fruits or vegetables, including baby carrots, sliced apples, and berries. You may also pair fruit dips with saltier sides like pretzels or roasted nuts for a nice contrasting flavor.
Pies
Date paste may be used as a vegan-friendly pie or tart filling. It also pairs well with a variety of fresh fruits and may be incorporated in place of standard cane sugar. We highly recommend adding date paste to pumpkin or pecan pies since they contain several ingredients that will highlight the fruit’s taste. Pumpkin pies often feature Autumnal spices like allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger that pair well with dates. Whereas pecan pies typically boast an ooey-gooey texture that is only elevated further with the addition of date paste. Plus, dates and nuts taste exceptional alongside one another. Both of these pies also contain numerous healthy ingredients that are sure to benefit from this stellar superfood.
Salad Dressings
You can also feature date paste in salad dressings similarly to marinades and sauces. It is an incredibly healthy addition with an ideal texture for blending. However, date paste is a little thicker than most salad dressing varieties. It can be diluted with hot water, red wine vinegar, or thinner sauces like soy sauce to reach one’s desired consistency. Although, you should have little to no problems if you prefer creamy and thick salad dressings. Plus, you may simultaneously top your salad with any leftover fresh dates to elevate its texture and sweetness.
Where Can I Find Date Paste?
Many store-bought date varieties contain extra sugars and preservatives. Luckily, Desert Valley Date strives to serve our customers only top-quality dates and date-infused products made from our California grown dates. We have a delectable date paste available in organic and conventional varieties. It is made using Deglet Noor dates or Medjool Dates to create a sticky yet easily spreadable paste. You will not find any artificial sugars, flavorings, or harmful preservatives in our date paste. Lastly, you can always make your own at home using dates and a processor- just watch out for the pits! It is a fun experiment and a great way to improve your baking skills.
