Best Date Preserve In Syrup Recipes
HOMEMADE DATE SYRUP
This natural sweetener, used throughout the Middle East, is easier to make at home than you think. The secret is patience--and keeping a close eye on the pot as it cooks. As for the dates, I recommend using Deglet Noor dates for syrup-- they are less expensive than Madjool dates and have a modest sweetness, so the syrup isn't overwhelming. You can use date syrup in both sweet and savory dishes. I mix mine into salad dressings and drinks, drizzle it on yogurt, oatmeal and waffles and as a central ingredient for luqaimat (fried dumplings tossed in date syrup).
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Time 2h30m
Yield about 1 cup
Number Of Ingredients 2
Steps:
- Put the dates in a large heatsafe bowl and add the boiling water. Let sit until the dates are softened, about 30 minutes.
- Using a blender or an immersion blender, blend the dates and water so no large chunks are left. Pour this mixture into a pot and place it over medium-high heat. Bring it to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent the dates from sticking to the bottom of the pot, until the mixture is no longer watery and has a creamy, almost pudding-like consistency, about 1 hour. Remove from the heat and let the mixture come to room temperature.
- Put a nut milk bag or large piece of cheesecloth in a colander and place it over a saucepan. Working in 2 batches, pour the date mixture into the nut milk bag and squeeze it over the colander to strain the liquid through. You should be left with 2 to 2 1/2 cups of liquid. What's left in the nut milk bag is date pulp, which can be saved for another use (see Cook's Note).
- Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring it to a simmer. 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.
DATE PRESERVE IN SYRUP
This exquisite delicacy makes a ready dessert. Accompany if you like with vanilla ice cream or mascarpone. It is made with fresh dates-the yellow or red varieties, which are hard and sour and totally different from the dried dates with which people in America are familiar. (They are called zaghlouli in Egypt.) It is usual to peel them, but that is an arduous task and, in my view, not all that much worth the effort. They are stuffed with blanched almonds, with which they make a lovely combination.
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- Wash the dates well, peel them if you wish, and put them in a pan with water to cover (about 4 1/2 cups) and the lemon juice. Bring to the boil and simmer, covered, for 1 hour, or until they are soft, adding a little water, if necessary, to keep them covered.
- Lift them out of their water with a slotted spoon, and when they are cool enough to handle, push the pits out with a skewer or knitting needle. You will get the knack of doing it without breaking the dates. It helps to press them tightly in your hand. If you like, replace each pit with a blanched almond through the same hole.
- Add sugar and cloves to the date liquor and bring to the boil. Simmer for a few minutes, until the sugar is dissolved, then drop in the dates and cook for a further 20-30 minutes. Lift the dates out carefully with a slotted spoon and put them in a clean glass jar, burying the cloves among them.
- Thicken the syrup by boiling until it coats the back of a spoon or sets when tested on a cold plate. Pour over the dates, let cool, and close the jar tightly.
- These dates are also delicious stuffed with pieces of candied orange peel; use about 1 cup.
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