Take a look at this homemade raw sweetener from Zoe, the food blogger at ZOMTBakes. She made this sweet syrup herself — out of dates!
Zoe says that she makes this raw, natural syrup on a regular basis, and she uses it in baking, smoothies, hot tea, and many other things. It transforms the sweetness of dates into a syrup that is more widely usable in the kitchen.
• Get the recipe: Date Syrup at ZOMTBakes
Do you ever cook with date syrup? If so, what do you use it for?
Related: Alternative Sweeteners: Cactus Honey Powder
(Images: Zoe Tattersall)
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I'll try this, thanks. Love the tag, too. :)
I've done this informally by adding a date or two to a cup of hot cocoa, and then whirring with an immersion blender. If you want it to be really smooth then run it through a strainer afterwards.
I adore dates and i see date syrup all the time in the armenian markets near me, so I will certainly be trying this!
I wonder if it would work in a cookie recipe, taking the place of agave?
How can this be considered raw if it is made from dates? Aren't dates dried figs? I didn't think things that were dried could be considered "raw."
Not trying to hate, this sounds delicious, I'm just questioning its "raw" title.
Dates and figs are two different fruits from two different trees.
Both can be served ripe or dried, but a date is a date and a fig is a fig.
Dates have a central pit (like olives) and are smooth, sticky, and very sweet. Figs are plumper and full of seeds (think Fig Newtons).
My dad loves the huge tubs of date from warehouse stores, so I'm always looking for things to do with dates, going to try this!
Adding chopped dates to quick breads and other baked goods adds both moisture and sweetness.
http://thesweetest3.com/
Things that are raw can be dried, just not cooked over about 118 degrees. It is heat that degrades the food, not moisture content.
Have been wanting to try this for a while since I eat a TON of dates. We get them fresh here in San Diego which is amazing... not like the icky dried ones in the store. It's like my daily dose (or two!) of candy. I never knew I even LIKED dates until we moved here and I tried one. The date syrup sounds amazing!