Mays Date Nut Loaf Food

DATE WALNUT LOAF

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F; spray a loaf pan with nonstick baking spray like Pam, and set aside.
• In a small bowl or measuring cup, pour boiling water over baking soda so that soda dissolves.
• Place dates in a mixing bowl and pour water/soda mixture over dates; let cool.
• In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
• In a different bowl, beat the egg with an electric mixer, then slowly add the brown sugar, beating well after each addition.
• To the egg/sugar mixture, add cooled date mixture, toasted nuts and vanilla; mix well.
• Stir in the dry ingredients.
• Now, add the melted butter and mix well.
• Pour this mixture into the prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for approximately 55 minutes, or until loaf tests done.
• Let cool 10 minutes before removing from pan, then cool completely on a rack.

DATE NUT BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350.
• Grease an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 3 inch loaf pan.
• Put the dates, walnuts, baking soda, salt and shortening in a bowl. Pour the boiling water over and stir. Let the mixture stand for 15 minutes.
• Using a fork, beat the eggs and sugar together in a bowl. Add the flours and stir; the batter will be too stiff to mix well. Add the date mixture and mix briskly until the batter is well blended. Spoon into the loaf pan and bake 40 to 50 minutes. Check the loaf often; it is done when a few moist crumbs cling to a straw inserted in the middle of the loaf. The bread will continue to bake after it is removed from the oven. Do not overbake, or the loaf will be dry.
• When the loaf is done, slide a knife around the edges of the pan and turn the loaf onto a rack to cool completely. This bread freezes well.

DATE NUT SPICE BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottom of an 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 by 2 1/2-inch loaf pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pan.
• Combine the dates and orange liqueur in a small bowl and set aside for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar together on medium speed for 1 minute. Scrape down the bowl. With the mixer on low, add the egg, vanilla, and orange zest. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. With the mixer still on low, add the flour mixture alternately with the orange juice to the creamed mixture, beating only until combined. By hand, stir in the dates with their liquid, and the pecans.
• Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
• Meanwhile, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese, sugar, and orange zest on medium speed until just combined.
• Slice the bread and serve with the orange cream cheese on the side for spreading.

MOIST DATE NUT LOAF

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a bowl, mix together the hot water and chopped dates, then let sit for 15 minutes to cool and for the dates to soften.
• Whisk in the oil, egg, bananas, and vanilla extract into the date water mixture.
• In another bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, walnuts, and brown sugar.
• Fold the date mixture into the flour mixture, until the dry mixture is no longer visible.
• Pour the batter into a lightly greased and floured 8 x 4 inch loaf pan, then bake for about 55 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Cool for 10 minutes, then remove from the tin and cool completely before slicing.
• This loaf holds up well wrapped in aluminum foil for 3 or 4 days.

DATE NUT LOAF CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan. In a saucepan over medium heat, bring dates and water to a boil. Stir in 1/2 cup butter and 1 cup sugar until melted. Remove from heat and stir in baking soda. Let cool for 10 minutes.
• Place date mixture into a large bowl. Blend in flour, eggs and vanilla. Stir in chopped walnuts. Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely. Serve slices with Warm Sauce.
• To make Warm Sauce: In a saucepan over medium heat, combine 1/4 cup butter with cream and brown sugar. Heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and sugar is dissolved.

WONDERFUL DATE AND NUT MINI LOAF BREADS

Steps:

• Set oven to 350 degrees F.
• Grease four 6x3-inch mini loaf pans.
• In a bowl sift first 5 ingredients.
• Combine 1/4 of the flour mixture with the chopped dates and nuts; toss to coat.
• In another bowl combine butter and sugar; beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
• Add in eggs and beat well then add in the vanilla, almond extract, and beat for another 2-3 minutes.
• Add in dry ingredients alternately with milk beating after each addition.
• Fold in the dates/flour mixture by hand, then spoon into prepared mini loaf pans.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes or until loaves test done.

WHOLE-WHEAT DATE NUT BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with oil. In a medium bowl, pour hot water over dates and let stand until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Whisk in oil, egg, and vanilla. In another bowl, stir together flours, baking soda, salt, pecans, and brown sugar. Fold egg mixture into flour mixture until just combined. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
• Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until a tester inserted in center of loaf comes out clean, about 65 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack, 20 minutes, then turn out bread and let cool completely. Wrap in parchment if giving as a gift, or slice and spread with Neufchatel and serve. (Loaf can be tightly wrapped and stored at room temperature up to 3 days.)