Date Butter Food

DATE BUTTER TART

Steps:

• Make the pâte sucrée: Whisk the cream and egg yolk together in a small bowl. In a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the flour, sugar, salt and butter on medium speed until you have a coarse meal. (Or use a food processor and pulse until you have a coarse meal.) Gradually add the cream and yolk and mix until just combined. Do not overwork the dough. Transfer to a large work surface and bring it together with your hands to incorporate completely. Shape it into a 1-inch disc and put in the refrigerator for 5 to 10 minutes to firm up a little. Place it on a lightly floured work surface, sprinkle a little flour over the dough and roll it out into a ¼-inch-thick circle, flouring as necessary. Starting at one side, roll and wrap the dough around the rolling pin to pick it up. Unroll the dough over a 10-inch tart pan. Gently fit the dough loosely into the pan, lifting the edges and pressing the dough into the corners with your fingers. To remove the excess dough, roll the rolling pin lightly over the top of the tart pan for a nice, clean edge. Chill for 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prick the bottom of the dough with a fork and line the tart shell with a few coffee filters opened out, or with a piece of parchment paper. Fill the lined tart shell with beans or pie weights and bake 15 minutes, until set. Take the tart out of the oven and gently lift out the paper and beans. Return to the oven and bake another 10 to 15 minutes, until the crust is an even golden brown. Set aside on a rack to cool completely.
• Make a vertical slit in each date and carefully remove the pit. Use your fingers to press the dates back into their natural shape. Place the dates, slit side down, in concentric circles in the tart shell, leaving ½ inch between each date.
• Slice the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and use a paring knife to scrape the seeds and pulp onto the butter. To make sure not to lose any of the seeds, run your vanilla-coated knife through the butter. Heat a medium sauté pan over medium heat for 1 minute. Add the vanilla-streaked butter and the vanilla pod to the pan and cook 6 to 8 minutes, until the butter browns and smells nutty. Discard the vanilla pod.
• Whisk the eggs and 2/3 cup sugar together in a bowl. Whisk in the flour and salt and stir in the warm butter to incorporate.
• Pour the batter over the dates in the tart shell. Sprinkle the top with the remaining tablespoon sugar. Bake 30 minutes, until the filling puffs up, browns and is set. Cool the tart at least 20 minutes, then cut into wedges and serve with scoops of vanilla ice cream.

DATE BUTTER

Steps:

• In a small food processor, blend the coconut oil or butter, dates (we used medjool), maple syrup, cinnamon and salt. Chill until needed, will keep for up to a week.

PEANUT BUTTER DATE BALLS

Steps:

• Combine the 3 ingredients.
• Shape into balls.
• Refrigerate until firm or eat immedietly!

HEALTHY DATE & WALNUT FRUIT LOAF (NO BUTTER/OIL/EGG)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
• In a large bowl, combine Ingredients A and soak for 15 minutes.
• In another bowl, combine Ingredients B and mix well.
• In a separate bowl, sieve flour and baking soda. Ensure baking soda is not lumpy. Add in soft brown sugar. Mix well and put aside.
• Add Ingredients B to Ingredients A. Mix well.
• Then add Ingredients C and mix well.
• Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake in preheated oven for 50 - 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Let the loaf cool in the tin for at least 5 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

DATE AND OAT SCONES WITH HOMEMADE DATE BUTTER

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• For the scones: In a medium bowl, mix 2 cups of the flour, the sugar and salt. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the cream and mix until it forms a dough. Use the remaining 2 tablespoons flour if the mixture seems too wet.
• On a lightly floured work surface knead the dough gently 3 to 4 times, working in 3/4 cups of the dates, and pat it out to a 1/2-inch thick and 10-inch diameter circle. Cut the circle into 10 equal wedges and transfer to a baking sheet. Brush the top with the remaining 1 tablespoon heavy cream and pat the oats on top until they stick. Bake in the middle of the oven until golden, about 15 minutes.
• For the date butter: Place cheesecloth over a sieve and place over a medium bowl. Set aside.
• In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the cream and whisk on medium-high speed. When the cream starts to split and there is solid butter and liquid at the bottom of the bowl you are done. Place the butter into the cheesecloth and wrap it tightly. Squeeze out all the liquid from the butter.
• Transfer 1/2 cup of the butter to a food processor. Add the remaining 1/4 cup chopped dates, the sugar and salt to taste and pulse until well combined. Transfer to a ramekin. You can save the remaining butter in the fridge for 2 weeks. Serve the date butter with the scones.