Date Nut Bread

I find it easiest to use kitchen scissors to “chop” the dates into pieces. You can experiment with other types of nuts—I once used hazelnuts in this recipe, and though it was good, the flavor of the nuts rather overwhelmed the dates. This bread is delicious toasted for breakfast or tea.



Carpenter's Square Quilted Wall Hanging
(stare at it: your eyes will play tricks!)

 Date Nut Bread

1 cup chopped pitted dates

1-1/2 tsp baking soda

3/4 cup boiling water
3 Tbs butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1-1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup walnuts or pecans, coarsely chopped

In medium bowl mix dates and soda. Pour water over them and add butter. Let the mixture stand for 20 minutes. Butter a 9x5-inch pan, line bottom with parchment paper and butter paper too (the sugar in the dates is sticky—the parchment paper will prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pan).

Whisk dry ingredients in large bowl. After approximately 15 minutes (depending on how quickly your oven heats), preheat oven to 350 F. Add the eggs and vanilla to dry ingredients and stir with a fork to combine. Stir in the date mixture and the chopped nuts.

Pour mixture into prepared pan and bake for approximately 55 minutes, until tester inserted into center comes out cleanly. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes; turn onto a wire rack to cool completely.