Date Nut Bread
This month’s recipe comes from Melissa’s kitchen. It’s something she makes every fall season.
It’s a perfect companion at a fall harvest table, especially Thanksgiving. The flavors of dates and coffee compliment and offset each other— sweet and bitter— so the bread lends itself with equal ease as an accompaniment to savory or sweet dishes.
Pair it with turkey, a roast chicken, ham, or a bowl of bitter greens. Or serve it as a tea or breakfast cake. It’s fast to make, and stores well wrapped in aluminum foil or a plastic bag.
For a truly decadent treat, slather it with cream cheese while it’s still warm and wash it down a strong cup of java. Heaven.
· 8 oz dates, pits removed
· 1 tsp baking soda
· 3 Tbs butter
· 1 cup strong hot coffee
· 1 egg, beaten
· 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
· ¾ cup sugar
· 1 tsp baking powder
· ¼ tsp cloves
· ¼ tsp salt
· 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
· ½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Oven 325° 40 min – 1 hr
Grease a 9 x 5 baking pan and set aside. Preheat the oven to 325°.
Cut the dates into thirds. Place them into a medium-sized bowl and add the baking soda, butter and hot coffee. Stir. Add the beaten egg.
In a large bowl, sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, cloves, and salt together. Pour the date mixture on top, and add vanilla, and if using, the nuts.
Stir just until everything is combined; do not overmix. Pour into the prepared pan and bake until set, 40 minutes to 1 hour. Cool slightly before removed from the pan.
