Skip to main content
Epicurious
Cookbooks

Date Ice Cream (Buza ‘Ala-Tamr)

3.8

(4)

Image may contain Food Creme Dessert Cream Ice Cream and Burger
Photo by Kristin Perers

Before sugar became commonly available, dates were an important sweetener in Arabia, and even though this date ice cream must be a recent addition to the Arabian culinary repertoire, it makes use of dates as the main sweetener just as they did at the advent of Islam and for long after. This means a lot less sugar in the ice cream, which makes it ideal for those who need to cut down on sugar but still want something sweet.

Cooks' Note

If you are going to use salep, add it little by little as you are bringing the milk to a boil, then continue as with the cornstarch.

See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips

Read More
Masoub (Banana and Flatbread Pudding)
This quick breakfast or dessert is renowned in Yemen and throughout the Arabian Peninsula.
Nankhatai (Semolina Shortbread)
These cookies are gently sweetened and perfect with a cup of tea.
Rye, Cranberry, and Dark Chocolate Cookies
This cookie is an unintended “celebrity.” It’s one of very few cookies that customers ask for specifically upon arrival at Mokonuts.
Heavenly Halva Cake
Serve a thick slice for breakfast or an afternoon pick-me-up.
Boozy Cherry and Chocolate Pavlova
Pavlova meets Black Forest cake in a holiday dessert designed to steal the spotlight.
Fufu
Fufu is a dish that has been passed down through many generations and is seen as a symbol of Ghanaian identity and heritage. Making fufu traditionally is a very laborious task; this recipe mimics some of that hard work but with a few home-cook hacks that make for a far easier time.
Grape Dumplings
Native American people made these with cornmeal dumplings, simmering them with wild grapes, which were harvested at their peak sweetness.
Yogurt and Cucumber Soup
This luscious chilled yogurt soup, packed with fresh and dried mint, is an incredibly refreshing and cooling appetizer during the summer.