Dates are one of the oldest cultivated fruits, growing in huge bunches on date palms. Like figs, fresh fruit is as lovely as dried – apparently so because, unlike figs, I have sadly never tasted fresh dates. Have you?
Dates are super sweet, jammy and delicious; also a great quick energy source, hence very often eaten to break the Ramadan fast. Their sugar content is somewhat moderated by the fibre they contain, thus blunting the blood sugar spike that other sweet foods would cause. Still, moderation is required as they are as calorific as they are moreish – especially the premium medjool dates.
They are a great baking ingredient – who doesn’t love sticky toffee pudding? My collection also includes a savoury recipe!
Carrots and dates give Tom Kerridge’s carrot cake energy balls natural sweetness and an energy kick. They are no-bake, no sugar, no nonsense bites made from goodness itself. Sweet thanks to the dates, satisfyingly filling and easier to make than mud cakes.
Carrot cake energy balls
RECIPE
Date and nut squares are made with chunks of medjool dates and a mix of almonds, pecans and pistachios in rich, chewy batter. There’s a reason why these are called ‘food for gods’.
Date and walnut nougat meringues are the most exquisite sweets for all meringue, nougat, marshmallow and turrón lovers. Meringue never tasted better!
Date and walnut nougat meringues
RECIPE
Date porridge is naturally sweet, prepared the night before and cooked within minutes into chunky, nutritious and kick-ass breakfast. No need to sprinkle caster sugar over it, or even drizzle honey.
Date shortbread bars are shortcrust pastry slices sandwiched with date, cinnamon and orange filling. A little like millionaire’s bars but without the chocolate, and good shortcrust pastry with naturally sweet filling is great for a treat.
Honey cake with dates and apples from Nigella Lawson’s collection is not only suitable for Rosh Hashanah: it’s simply the perfect autumnal cake. Or for any time of the year.
Honey cake with dates and apples
RECIPE
Dates and dark brown sugar are key to a sticky toffee pudding, the best beloved British dessert and deservedly so. This recipe is for an easy sticky toffee pudding cake topped with nuts and drenched in toffee sauce.
Lumberjack cake is like a turbocharged sticky toffee: it’s a date and apple cake with caramelised coconut topping. Apparently it takes its name from the appearance of a freshly felled tree stump with woodchips on top.
This sweet and tangy riff on sticky toffee is a crowd-pleaser, perfect for any occasion. With a moist and tender crumb and rich flavours of tamarind and dates, it’s a must-try for anyone who loves sticky toffee and/or dates.
And finally, a dinner date recipe! Pork fillet stuffed with medjool dates, roasted and drizzled with homemade hot honey. It’s the perfect mini roast, impressive enough for a special meal but easy to make on any weeknight.
Pork fillet with dates and hot honey
RECIPE