1 ½cupboiling hot waterreserve ¼ cup or more for blending
Instructions
Prepare the dates
Begin by removing the pits (& any bits of dried flower parts on the ends) of the dates. This sounds tedious but it's actually a very quick and easy task.
Count and match the number of pits to the number of dates you're using to be sure all pits have been removed and discarded.
Soak the dates
Place the pitted dates (about one tightly packed cup total) into a bowl and pour boiling hot water over the top to fully submerge the dates.
Allow the dates to soften in the hot water for 30-45 minutes.
Blend the dates and some of the soaking water
While reserving the soaking water for later, remove the softened dates from the soaking water and place them in a high-speed blender. Add about ¼ cup of the reserved soaking water to the blender (or a bit more if needed to help with blending or to make a thinner paste), then blend by slowly increasing the speed up to high (if using a Vitamix, a tamper is helpful here). Blend well until nice and smooth.
Storing the date paste
The date paste can be kept in a sealed container in the refrigerator for at least a week. Or, it can be kept in the freezer for several months as it will not freeze solid. You can scoop out smaller portions of date paste from its frozen state as needed.
Notes
*I prefer Medjool dates because they are nice and sweet, large, and soft. They're also very easy to pit. Other date types can be used but just be sure you have a total of one packed cup once they're pitted. Some dates may also need to be soaked longer if they are more dry to begin with.
Keyword date paste, fruit paste, fruit spread, plant-based, sweetener, vegan, WFPB, WFPBNO, WFPBSOS