Date Paste GF SCD

I can still remember the very colourful, narrow oblong box which used to appear on the table at Christmas and this weird kind of mystery about it. Inside the box were two layers of strange looking sticky brown dates. But only one or two members of our family ate this almost precious fruit - it was vehemently shunned by the rest. 

One of the oldest cultivated fruits, dates are the fruit of the date palm or Phoenix dactylifera. The exact origin of the first date palm is not known but references can be traced back as far as 5000-6000 B.C. in Iran, Egypt, and Pakistan. Some interesting facts:

• Depending on their moisture content, there are three types of date: soft, semi-dry and dry
• More than 1,000 dates can grow on a single bunch
• Date palms cover 3% of the world's cultivated surface
• Four million tons of dates are grown annually
• Medjool dates are considered to be the most high quality date available

Rich in nutrients and health benefits, dates are considered to be a perfect food and contrary to popular belief, they are actually low on the glycemic index and don't significantly raise blood sugar levels after they are eaten so made into a paste, dates are an excellent alternative to sugar and liquid sweeteners in many recipes.

Date Paste GF SCD

organic pitted dates

filtered water

The number of dates you use can depend on the size of your processor. I'm lucky to own a small processor in which I can process small quantities. If you don't own a processor you can blend the dates but you may need to use many more dates than if you use a small food processor. I often make the paste with a minimum of 150 grams of dates but I suggest you make as much as you will need since the paste will only keep about a week in the fridge.

Tip the dates into a bowl, cover with warm, filtered water and leave for up to 12 hours until soft. Depending on the type of dates you are using the soaking time varies.  I use "soft" dates and these are ready to process after a couple of hours but "dry" dates may take up to 12 hours to soften. If soaking for longer than a few hours, place the bowl in the fridge.

Spoon the dates into the processor bowl or blender. Add a little of the soaking water and turn the machine on.  Keep adding the soaking water as necessary to reach the required thickness.

I like to make the paste quite thick when replacing sugar or liquid sweeteners in cakes and cookies as in my gingerbread men recipe. It's worthwhile experimenting with the paste because it's surprising how well it works in many recipes.

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This recipe is linked to  Fat Tuesday, Hearth and Soul Hop, Allergy Free Wednesdays, Gluten-Free Wednesdays, Raw Foods Thursday, Full Plate Thursday, Gluten Free Fridays, Healthy Vegan Friday, Wellness Weekend, Whole Food Fridays