Yield: 3 servings
This recipe is brilliant in its simplicity and utterly delicious. Date shakes are one of California’s signature creations. The first date shake was created around 1920 by the Nicholl family who built a roadside date shop in Thermal not far from our ranch today. The Nicholl date shop was later renamed to “Valerie Jean’s” after their daughter and was arguably one of the most well-known roadside date shops of its time. Valerie Jean’s was the inspiration for our Date Shop brand and shop and headquarters in Orange County today, and we continue sharing the affection and nostalgia for that era in our California series of products which tells the story of the Coachella Valley’s long history of date shops and farms.
The star of this recipe is our beloved “Grinders,” our imperfect, but still delicious, Medjool dates. We re-use the freezer ready Grinders cup packaging to freeze the finished ice cream. And voila! Delicious, homemade ice cream on the ready for the next time you’re craving a sweet treat! To keep the chopped dates from clumping we give them a quick toss in a hefty amount of cinnamon, which happens to be one of our favorite spice companions for dates. Dates and cinnamon are magic together! The ice cream base itself is just 3 ingredients with a little salt to pop the flavors, and comes together in a snap!
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided
- 4 Medjool Dates (we use our “Grinders” for this) pitted and chopped into bite-size pieces
- Flaky sea salt
Directions:
Combine the heavy cream, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, and 1/2 teaspoon of the cinnamon in a medium mixing bowl. Beat with a hand mixer on medium speed until the mixture forms soft peaks, about 4 minutes. (Alternatively, you can use a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment).
Combine the chopped dates and remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in an empty 9-oz Grinders cup. Secure the lid and shake until the dates are evenly coated (this prevents them from sticking together).
Add the dates and a pinch of flaky salt into the ice cream base and gently fold until evenly incorporated. Transfer to the Grinders pint, secure the lid, and freeze for at least 6 hours. Scoop into bowls or enjoy from the pint!
The variations on this ice cream are endless:
TOSS: toss the dates in espresso powder, toasted coconut, ground cookies, toasted almond flour, or cocoa powder.
ADD: The ice cream can be enhanced with chopped nuts, chocolate chips, fruit pieces like fresh peach, strawberry, or banana, candied ginger, and more!
Our Grinders can be purchased directly from our website, Amazon.com, and are now available in all Walmart stores across America, as well as many local and regional stores across the US. You can check our locations tab to see who is selling near you.
https://ranchomeladuco.com/where-to-buy/
Adapted from Nigella Lawson.
Recipe & Photo credit: http://www.graceelkus.com/ @graceelkus
Double Chocolate Date Mason Jar Ice Cream
This variation uses cocoa powder to coat the dates (which also prevents the pieces from sticking) and involves a bit of arm effort to shake the jar – this is a great recipe to get the kids involved, everyone can take a turn shaking the mixture. Chocolate chips added to the chocolate ice cream base combined with the chewy caramel tasting dates really makes this ice cream special.
Yield: 3 servings
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 2 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder, divided
- 4 “Grinders,” pitted and chopped into bite-size pieces
- 1/4 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
- Flaky sea salt
Directions:
Pour the heavy cream and sweetened condensed milk into a 16 oz. wide-mouth Mason jar. (To dirty fewer dishes, just pour the cream into the jar until it reaches the 6 oz. line, then add the milk until you hit 8 oz — no need for a measuring cup).
Sift 2 tablespoons of the cocoa powder into the jar and screw on the lid. Shake vigorously until the mixture thickens and is the consistency of brownie batter, about 5 minutes.
Combine the chopped dates and remaining 1/2 teaspoon cocoa powder in an empty 9-oz Grinders cup. Secure the lid and shake until the dates are evenly coated (this prevents them from sticking together).
Pour the ice cream base over the dates, add the chocolate chips and a pinch of flaky salt, and stir gently to combine. Secure the lid and freeze for at least 3 hours. Scoop into bowls or enjoy from the pint!
Adapted from The New York Times.