Healthy Date Dip with the Thermomix®

Date dip with the Thermomix® works because of one flavour bridge: dates bring the sweetness, curry brings the warmth, and cream cheese with soured cream holds both together. We have been making this dip for years at barbecues, brunches and as a quick spread when guests turn up unannounced.

The dip is ready in five minutes. That is exactly where the Thermomix® makes a real difference. The dried dates are chopped so finely at speed 8 in 8 seconds that they blend seamlessly with the soured cream and cream cheese. With a knife we can never get the sticky fruit down to that size, and without finely chopped dates the dip stays grainy instead of creamy.

Why curry and dates work together

Dates are pure sweetness, almost like caramel. Curry brings turmeric, coriander, fenugreek and, depending on the blend, also cumin or chilli. These spices have earthy, slightly bitter notes that ground the sweetness of the dates. Without curry the dip tastes like sweet cream cheese with dried fruit. With 1 teaspoon of curry powder to 200 g of cream cheese it becomes a spread that works equally well with baguette, lamb skewers and carrot sticks.

We use a mild curry powder, not a hot Madras. The heat comes from the dried chilli, which is chopped together with the garlic and dates in the first step. That way the heat distributes evenly rather than appearing in isolated pockets.

The ratio of dates to cream cheese

We use 140 g dates to 200 g cream cheese and 100 g soured cream. That gives a dip that is sweet enough for the first impression without tipping over into dessert territory. Use more dates and the sweetness becomes tiring after three bites. Use fewer and you lose the main character and end up with a curry cream cheese dip instead.

Soured cream plays an important supporting role here. Cream cheese alone would be too firm and the dip would be almost impossible to spread. The 100 g of soured cream, with its slight acidity, makes the mixture spoonable and balances out the sweetness at the same time. If you do not have soured cream to hand, you can also use creme fraiche or Greek yoghurt. Yoghurt makes the dip fresher and slightly thinner, while creme fraiche is the closest match in flavour to soured cream.

Where the dip goes wrong: too sweet or too firm

If the date dip turns out too sweet, it is almost always down to the variety of date. Medjool dates are large, soft and extremely sweet, almost like caramel. If you use Medjool, reduce the quantity to 110 to 120 g. The standard choice is dried Deglet Nour from Tunisia, which are slightly drier and less sweet. With those, the 140 g from the recipe is exactly right.

The dip turns out too firm when the cream cheese comes straight from the fridge. Cold full-fat cream cheese is an almost solid mass. In the Thermomix® it then forms a lumpy block when mixed with the dates instead of a smooth cream. We leave the cream cheese and soured cream out for 30 minutes at room temperature before they go into the mixing bowl. If you are short on time, warm them briefly for 3 min / 37°C / speed 2, then mix with the dates at speed 4 for 6 seconds.

The third problem is a flat taste. If the dip seems bland, salt is nearly always the missing element. The sweetness of the dates and the mildness of the cream cheese need a salt anchor, otherwise everything blurs together. 1/2 teaspoon of salt for the whole quantity is essential, not optional. We often add a few drops of lemon juice as well, because acidity sharpens the sweetness.

With walnuts, bacon or as a sweet variation

With toasted walnuts. Toast 30 g of walnuts for 3 minutes in a dry frying pan, roughly chop and fold into the finished dip at the end. The bitter note of the walnut complements the curry and adds texture to an otherwise soft mixture.

With crispy bacon. Fry 50 g of streaky bacon until crisp, drain, crumble into small pieces and stir into the dip. The salty, smoky bacon with the sweet dates is a classic combination that anyone who has grilled dates wrapped in bacon will already know.

Sweet variation without curry. Leave out the curry powder, chilli and garlic, and add 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1 teaspoon of vanilla sugar instead. This turns the dip into a sweet spread for croissants or as a topping for yoghurt bowls.

Middle Eastern style with pomegranate. Top the finished dip with 2 tablespoons of pomegranate seeds and drizzle with a little pomegranate molasses. Visually this makes the dip a real showstopper on any starter platter.

What we serve the dip with

The date dip goes classically with warm baguette, fresh flatbread or toasted pitta. At barbecues we always put it on the table alongside herb butter and tomato butter, because the three together cover every flavour direction: savoury, fruity-tomatoey and sweet-curry.

With lamb and poultry the dip works especially well. The sweetness cuts through the fat and curry suits both types of meat. If you want to use the dip as a sauce for warm dishes, simply thin it with two tablespoons of double cream to make it pourable.

On vegetarian platters we pair it with carrot sticks, cucumber slices, celery sticks and radishes. If you would like more dip options, we also have a tomato and date chutney, a smoked salmon spread and a full collection of Thermomix® dips.

5 days in the fridge, well sealed

The date dip keeps for 5 days in the fridge in an airtight screw-top jar. It actually improves after a day, because curry powder needs time to release its aroma. Straight after mixing it tastes good. The next day it tastes rounded and well balanced.

Take the dip out of the fridge about 20 minutes before serving. At fridge temperature it is firmer; at room temperature the aroma opens up and it becomes spreadable. Give it a quick stir with a spoon if any liquid has separated.

Freezing is technically possible but not something we recommend. Cream cheese dips tend to split on thawing and the texture becomes slightly grainy. If you want to try it anyway, freeze in portions, thaw overnight in the fridge and beat briefly with a whisk before serving.

When there are leftovers

From leftover date dip we make a quick pasta sauce the next day: warm 2 heaped tablespoons of dip with 100 ml of double cream and a splash of pasta water over a low heat, then toss with penne or tagliatelle. It sounds unusual but tastes surprisingly good. The sweetness of the dates works with pasta like a mild curry sauce.

A second use: spread the dip on wholegrain bread, lay thin apple slices on top and add a few walnut pieces. This makes a breakfast open sandwich that keeps you full without any further ingredients.

Which dates we buy

For the dip we use dried dates from Tunisia, usually the Deglet Nour variety. These dates are widely available in supermarkets and have the right level of sweetness for this recipe. Medjool dates from Morocco, California or Israel are higher quality, noticeably sweeter and more expensive. They are better suited to eating on their own than to this dip.

Important: buy pitted dates or pit them yourself before use. A single missed stone will damage the blade in the mixing bowl. To pit them yourself, press the date lengthways with your thumb and the stone pulls straight out.

More dips and sauces made with the Thermomix® are in our sauce collection.

Goes well with: Flatbread and falafel.

Store dried dates at room temperature in an airtight container. In the fridge they go hard and lose flavour. If they are very dry, soak them for 5 minutes in lukewarm water before they go into the mixing bowl.

More inspiration for dips, spreads and sauces is in our Thermomix® dip recipes. Our homemade butter suits the same occasion and takes less than 10 minutes.