Moroccan · Preserves
Homemade Date Syrup
Morocco's abundant date harvest is often reduced into a thick, dark syrup used as a natural sweetener in place of sugar or honey, stirred into drinks, drizzled over pancakes, or used in place of honey in various desserts.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Serves
- 16
- Level
- Easy
Ingredients
- 500 g pitted dates
- 750 ml water
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
Method
- 1
Simmer
Simmer the dates in the water for 30 minutes until very soft and the water has taken on a deep colour.
- 2
Blend
Blend the dates and their liquid until completely smooth.
- 3
Strain
Strain through a fine sieve or cheesecloth, pressing to extract as much liquid as possible, discarding the solids.
- 4
Reduce
Return the strained liquid to the pot with the lemon juice and simmer 10–15 minutes until thickened to a syrup consistency.
- 5
Cool and store
Cool completely before transferring to a clean bottle or jar.
Chef's tips
- The syrup thickens further as it cools, so pull it off the heat slightly before it looks fully done.
- Pressing the solids firmly through the sieve extracts significantly more syrup.
Frequently asked questions
How long does date syrup keep?
Stored in a sealed jar in the fridge, it keeps for several weeks.