Date Nut Bread

Dates are in season, and the prices have dropped for a short time.  See all the different varieties available on the shelves reminded me of all the date inspired treats, during our visit to the Middle East last year.  One of my favorite was the Date Breads.  With some trial and error, I finally have a bread that our family enjoys.  Let me show you how easy it is to make.

 You will need:
8 ounces of dried pitted dates
1 large orange
1/2 teas. baking soda
1/8 teas. salt
1 cup boiling water
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 1/2 teas. baking powder
1/4 teas salt
1/2 teas ground cinnamon
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teas. vanilla extract
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts
1 teas sugar

First, coarsely chop the dates.  Make sure to remove all the seeds.  You should have about 1 1/2 cups of firmly packed chopped dates.

Grate the orange peel, (you will need 2 tablespoons).  And juice the orange, (you will need 1/4 cup of juice).

Add enough boiling water to the juice to make 1 cup.

In a small bowl, add the boiling orange juice/water, baking soda, and 1/8 teaspoon of salt.  Add the chopped dates.  Stir well, then set aside and allow to cool.

 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  While the orange juice/water is cooling, spread the pecans, (or whatever type of nut you prefer to use), on a baking sheet.  Roast the nuts for about 5 minutes, until they start to brown, and you just start to smell the nuts.

Notice how the nuts have darkened in color.  Be sure to watch the nuts, they will go from roasted to burnt in just seconds.  Remove from oven and allow to cool.

In a food processor, add the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, cinnamon, and orange peel.  Process just enough to combine.

Add the cold butter, and process until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.

This is what the flour mixture will look like.  Add the flour mixture to a large bowl.

Coarsely chop the nuts, and stir into the flour mixture.

 In a small bowl, add the egg and vanilla extract.  Whisk the egg and vanilla together.

Add to the flour mixture. 

 Add in the dates and ALL of the orange juice/water.

 Stir just until the mixture is combined.

Spray a bread loaf pan.  Add a piece of parchment paper to the bottom of the pan and spray the top of the parchment paper, (this will ensure the bread removes easily from the pan).

Spoon the bread dough into the bread loaf pan.

 Spread out and level the bread dough.

Lightly sprinkle 1 teaspoon of sugar over the top of the bread dough.

Bake in the preheated 350 degree oven for 60 to 65 minutes, (until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, and the bread is golden brown).

Allow the bread to cool on a baking rack for about 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove the bread from the pan, and gently peel off the parchment paper.  Turn the bread upright and allow to cool completely.

Your bread is now ready to eat.

However, if you can resist the temptation and let your bread sit for 1 day, the flavors develop even more, and it's much more tasty.

Notice how nicely the dates and the nuts are suspended in the dough, and the bread has a nice crumb.

You can taste the slight orange flavor, the warm roasted nut flavor, and the warmth of the cinnamon against the dates, (which also have a delicious orange undertone).  It's so good!

And another way to serve the bread it with a small amount of honey on the slices - Oh my goodness, so good.

So go get some dates, while they are still in season and reasonable priced and try a loaf of date nut bread.

Enjoy !