Date & Nut Bread
As my memory has it, both my grandmothers and an aunt made Date & Nut Bread whenever I visited. It was a staple just like the jar of schmaltz in the refrigerator. I hadn't eaten it in probably 30 years until I got the bread maker last week. Date & Nut Bread was my third from the new machine and I produced a tasty product, but nothing that matched my memories. I brought some to my Dad and he loved it but agreed it was not his mother's recipe.
The recipe I used and have printed below is from "The New McCall's Cook Book" 1973 edition. One of my three cookbooks. It makes a wonderful Date & Nut Bread, but it's still not what I remember. Nonetheless, it's worth baking and, if there's snackers in the house, it won't last long.
4 cups of pitted dates - I buy these 2" long Majools. 2 containers was more than I needed. Cut the dates into small pieces about the size of Cheerios.
2 cups of chopped walnuts - don't powder them, but get them chopped up good.
Dump them both in a big mixing bowl and pour 2 cups of boiling water over them. Stir and then let sit until cool - at least 30 minutes.
2-3/4 cups of All Purpose flour sifted together with 1-1/2 teaspoons of baking soda and 1 teaspoon of salt. Set this aside.
Cream 1/2 cup of unsalted butter (1 stick and get it nice and soft first) with 1-1/4 cups of light brown sugar firmly packed. (I'm going to try dark brown sugar next time.) And mix in 2 eggs and 1 teaspoon of vanilla (use the good stuff!) When the butter is completely mixed add this to the date and nut mixture and mix it well with a wood spoon.
Add in the flour mixture and beat with the wood spoon until well combined.
Split the batter between 2 greased meatloaf pans and bake at 350 degrees for one hour or until a toothpick comes out clean. The original recipe said and hour and ten minutes; mine were done in 55 minutes.
Comments (11)
- 10 years ago
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Comments (9)Lots of good advice already. Quick breads are all about PREVENTING gluten development. Therefore, low-gluten flour such as whole wheat pastry flour, spelt is another good wholegrain choice, and I often used a portion of rye flour in quick breads as another low-gluten choice, to achieve a tender crumb. Or if you are using a processed white flour try Southern all-purpose flours (which are milled from soft wheat varieties) like White Lily, Martha White, Gladiola or Red Band, which are better choices than even National brand all-purpose flour (which is milled from a mixture of hard and soft wheat). If you find you have tunnels running through your quick breads, you are over-developing the gluten - either by using a flour that is too high in gluten to begin with and/or over-mixing it. The Cook's Thesaurus was probably referencing making yeast bread with a low-gluten flour, not quick breads. In the world of baking science when we judge quick breads at fairs -- "crumbly" loaves of quick breads are caused by overbaking (which you indicated you did), too little liquid or fat, or too much flour (make sure you measure your flour properly - aerate, fill the cup with a spoon, sweep off the excess with a straight edge). I suspect baking it too long was the problem. Always check a quick bread (especially a new recipe) 10-15 minutes before the recommended time for doneness according to the recipe. You can use the toothpick method to check for doneness, or you can take the internal temperature with an instant read thermometer and most quick breads are "done" when the temperature reaches 210-degrees. Did you accidently use the convection feature if you have a convection oven, because that will speed the baking time. I'd also suggest getting an oven thermometer and check your oven for the actual temperature (and check it in several areas in your oven). It may be running a little hot. Although many (not all) quick bread recipes call for a 9x5-inch pan, it is important to use the proper pan size. Instead of a large 9x5-inch loaf, I prefer using either a Danish Loaf Pan or Tea Loaf Pan, which are long and narrow but hold the same amount of batter as a recipe that uses a 9x5-inch pan. The large slices from a 9x5-inch pan tend to break apart - especially if you try to cut thin slices, and are much too large for a serving - so they are generally cut in the middle into 2 pieces so they don't break down the middle. As an alternative to a 9x5-inch loaf, use two 7-1/2x3-1/2-inch pans (and reduce the baking time). These smaller loaves are easier to cut into thin slices. -Grainlady...See MoreLOOKING for: Date & Nut Bread/Loaf
Comments (2)I don't know about Rod's Ranch House, but here is the one I make; it's a variation of a Boston Brown Bread: In a bowl combine 1 cup each of whole wheat flour, rye flour, and cornmeal and 1 teaspoon each of baking soda and salt. Stire in 2 cups buttermilk and 2/3 cup molassas, and fold in 1/2 cup each of raisins, chopped nuts, and chopped dates. Divide the batter among 3 buttered tall straight-sided 2 1/2 cup tins, cover the tins with foil, and tie them with kitchen string. Put the tins on a rack in a kettle and add enough boiling water to reach halfway up the sides of the tins. Cover thekettle and steam the bread over low heat, adding more boiling water if necessary, for 2 hours. Remove the foil, transfer the tins to a preheated slow oven (300 F), and let the bread dry for 15 minutes. Release the bread from the tins with a sharp knife, unmold it onto racks, and let it cool....See MoreBack to Canned Chocolate Bread
Comments (4)I remember the previous discussion about Canned Brown Bread that was similar to a date nut bread. It reminded me of good times so I went searching and did find the type I had as a child. (Haven't ordered it yet, but will.) Brown bread in a can....See MoreLeftover from Christmas, what to make...
Comments (12)Ricky it was amazing! So moist. I sliced a nice thick piece and toasted it yesterday and then spread cream cheese on it. I let DH take the second loaf to work, it got scarfed up quick. I'm pretty sure it's the same recipe I used the last time but I couldn't find it. This time I printed it out and saved it in my little box. I need to type that one into my recipe book on my computer, it's a keeper....See More
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