The Culinary Connoisseur
It’s a Date
25
Jan
Jan
Date honey or date syrup also knows as silan, is a thick
dark sweetener extracted from dates. It is commonly used in North African and
Middle Eastern cooking. In Israel, it is used as a dip for bread, in pastries, even in chicken
dishes. The “dvash tmarim” noted in the
shivas haminim is actually date honey, not the bee honey we use today.
dark sweetener extracted from dates. It is commonly used in North African and
Middle Eastern cooking. In Israel, it is used as a dip for bread, in pastries, even in chicken
dishes. The “dvash tmarim” noted in the
shivas haminim is actually date honey, not the bee honey we use today.
Date syrup is rich in glucose and fructose, and has
a lower glycemic index than processed sugar.
So while it is still a sweetener, it is moderately better for you than
sugar or even honey. When substituting silan for sugar in baking use a
ratio of 2/3 cup date syrup for every 1 cup of sugar and use a little less
liquid in the recipe.
a lower glycemic index than processed sugar.
So while it is still a sweetener, it is moderately better for you than
sugar or even honey. When substituting silan for sugar in baking use a
ratio of 2/3 cup date syrup for every 1 cup of sugar and use a little less
liquid in the recipe.
You can use store-bought silan, which is now available in
many groceries or make your own at home. There are 2 ways to prepare your
own—raw or cooked and extracted. The raw version provides all the fiber and
nutrients found in dates while the cooked is thinner and more similar to honey.
many groceries or make your own at home. There are 2 ways to prepare your
own—raw or cooked and extracted. The raw version provides all the fiber and
nutrients found in dates while the cooked is thinner and more similar to honey.
Raw Date Honey
½ cup silan
¼ cup silan for drizzling
8-9 medjool dates
1 1/4 cups water, plus more for soaking dates
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
Place the dates in a
small bowl; cover with warm water and let sit for 30 minutes. Once the dates
have soaked, drain the water then add the dates, 1 ¼ cups water, and lemon
juice to the container of a high speed blender, such as a Vitamix. Blend
until smooth. Transfer to an air tight container and store in the refrigerator
for up to two weeks.
small bowl; cover with warm water and let sit for 30 minutes. Once the dates
have soaked, drain the water then add the dates, 1 ¼ cups water, and lemon
juice to the container of a high speed blender, such as a Vitamix. Blend
until smooth. Transfer to an air tight container and store in the refrigerator
for up to two weeks.
2 lbs. pitted
dates
dates
8
1/2 cups hot water or more if needed
1/2 cups hot water or more if needed
Place dates and water
in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a low simmer
and cook for 2 hours or until dates are very soft and starting to dissolve. If
mixture begins to look dry, add a little more hot water; dates should be mostly
covered by liquid throughout the process. By the end of cooking the liquid
should be thick and brown.
in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a low simmer
and cook for 2 hours or until dates are very soft and starting to dissolve. If
mixture begins to look dry, add a little more hot water; dates should be mostly
covered by liquid throughout the process. By the end of cooking the liquid
should be thick and brown.
Place the dates and
liquid in a cheesecloth-lined strainer. Press a much liquid out of the dates as
you can. Date honey will continue to thicken as it cools. Once it
reaches room temperature, it should be similar to the consistency of honey. If
the mixture isn’t thick enough for you, feel free to warm it up again. Store syrup in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks. Makes about 1 ½ cups syrup.
liquid in a cheesecloth-lined strainer. Press a much liquid out of the dates as
you can. Date honey will continue to thicken as it cools. Once it
reaches room temperature, it should be similar to the consistency of honey. If
the mixture isn’t thick enough for you, feel free to warm it up again. Store syrup in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks. Makes about 1 ½ cups syrup.
Now you can go ahead
and try one of our tasty recipes!
and try one of our tasty recipes!
This recipe is a
great way to try silan if you are hesitant about trying new ingredients. It is
not very overwhelming but gives the chicken depth of flavor
great way to try silan if you are hesitant about trying new ingredients. It is
not very overwhelming but gives the chicken depth of flavor
½ cup silan
2 tablespoons soy
sauce
sauce
2 garlic cloves,
crushed
crushed
2 teaspoons lemon
juice
juice
4 chicken legs
Preheat oven to 375
degrees. Combine the silan, soy sauce, garlic and lemon juice. Place the
chicken thighs in a pan and pour the silan mixture evenly over the
chicken. Bake for about 45 minutes, until the skin is crispy and juices run
clear when the chicken is pricked with a fork.
degrees. Combine the silan, soy sauce, garlic and lemon juice. Place the
chicken thighs in a pan and pour the silan mixture evenly over the
chicken. Bake for about 45 minutes, until the skin is crispy and juices run
clear when the chicken is pricked with a fork.
To keep this dessert healthier, use coconut cream
instead of topping
instead of topping
1 cup silan
1 cup plain tahini
16 ounces whipped topping, defrosted
Halva, crumbled for garnish
¼ cup silan for drizzling
Mix the Silan with raw tahini. Add a 3 tablespoons
topping and stir. Whip the rest of the cream in a mixer until smooth and stiff.
Fold the whipped cream into the silan mixture.
topping and stir. Whip the rest of the cream in a mixer until smooth and stiff.
Fold the whipped cream into the silan mixture.
Pipe into serving cups using a pastry bag fitted with a
large star tip. Drizzle with a little date syrup and sprinkle with halva crumbs. Freeze until needed, but let it defrost a bit
before serving.
large star tip. Drizzle with a little date syrup and sprinkle with halva crumbs. Freeze until needed, but let it defrost a bit
before serving.
.