If you ask me what my absolute favorite dessert in the whole world is, I will say North African Deglet Noor date, commonly known as the “queen of all dates”. It has a soft touch, translucent light color and a soft honey-like taste. One such date and a glass of cold nut milk spells happiness for me. Dates are an indispensable ingredient in Levantine cuisine and the raw food kitchen alike. Here is an excerpt from Orient Expressed with some interesting facts about dates, as well as a simple recipe for the simplest, cheapest and most nutritious natural sweetener (date paste) and an even tastier caramel sauce that you can make out of it. Enjoy!
SALTED DATE HONEY SYRUP
1 C. Date Syrup/Paste
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. mesquite powder
2 T. raw coconut oil, melted
1/4 tsp. salt
Blend all ingredients until smooth. Keep refrigerated in an air-tight container. Use as a topping on chia pudding, as a filling in chocolate desserts, or freeze to get a thick caramel sauce. You can omit salt from this recipe if you prefer sweet caramel.
Suhail 