Dates provide more than sweetness

Dates bring a caramel-like flavour as well as sugar, giving this shake a warmer character than one sweetened with a plain syrup. Soft dates blend much more easily than dry ones. Chop them before soaking so the liquid reaches the flesh, and inspect even pre-pitted dates for occasional stones.

The soak happens in the fridge because the oat drink is intended to remain cold. Twenty minutes works for soft dates, but a firm batch may need a longer refrigerated soak. Do not compensate by blending endlessly: that can warm the drink while leaving stubborn skin fragments.

Build the texture in stages

Blending the dates with liquid first gives them access to the blades before frozen ingredients thicken the mixture. Once banana and ice cream are added, the jug becomes much denser. Starting with everything together can leave chewy date pieces hidden in an otherwise smooth-looking shake.

Use a restrained amount of cinnamon. The dates already provide a rich flavour, and too much ground spice creates a dry finish. The pinch of salt is optional in taste but useful in balancing sweetness; it should not make the drink salty. This is a sweet dessert-style shake, not a sugar-free recipe simply because its sweetness comes partly from fruit.

What you'll need

50 g soft pitted dates
180 ml unsweetened oat drink
120 g peeled banana, frozen in slices
80 g dairy-free vanilla ice cream
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
A small pinch of fine salt

Let's make it

Chop the dates, checking each for a remaining stone. Soak them in the oat drink in the fridge for 20 minutes; very firm dates need longer.
Blend the dates and oat drink first until no large pieces remain. Add frozen banana, dairy-free ice cream, cinnamon and salt.
Blend until thick and smooth, pausing rather than running the motor continuously if the fruit is stiff. Add a splash of oat drink if circulation stops.
Pour into two glasses and serve immediately. Check for date pieces at the bottom of the jug before dividing the final portion.

Make it your own

Replace the banana with another 80 g of dairy-free vanilla ice cream for a more dessert-like result, adding liquid cautiously.

Choose a suitable gluten-free oat drink if required, and inspect the ice cream's allergen statement rather than relying on a vegan logo.

Keeping it fresh

Serve at once for the intended frozen texture. Dates can be soaked in oat drink overnight in the fridge at 5°C or below, within the drink's opened-pack instructions; blend the next day.