About this bread
In honor of Valentine’s day, I decided to bake classic date and walnut mini loaves. These little breads are so moist and sweet with chunks of date, studded with walnuts, and served with cream cheese. The cream cheese is really the most delicious topping–much better than butter. When I tried this for the first time, I didn’t even like cream cheese (crazy, I know) and I was leery of date nut bread. But after one bite, I was in love. And you will be too, once you try this easy recipe.
Believe it or not, classic date and walnut mini loaves originated in Scotland. Hard to believe, since I’ve never seen a palm tree in the UK. But apparently dates are the oldest cultivated fruit in the world, and have been a staple in the Middle East for almost that long. Sticky Toffee Pudding, a classic English dessert, is sort of similar to date bread minus the walnuts.
The most difficult part of the this bread is pitting the dates and greasing five mini loaf tins. Other than that, this bread is quick and simple.
- Pour one and one-half cups boiling water over one pound of chopped, pitted dates with 2 teaspoons baking soda added. Let soak until the water is cool.
- Mix the butter, sugar, egg, vanilla.
- Add the water in which the dates were soaking.
- Add flour and salt.
- Mix in the dates and walnuts.
- Pour into 5 or 6 mini tins or 2 regular-sized bread tins.
- Bake 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 190 degrees.
Classic date and walnut mini loaves
Ingredients
Step 1 - Prepare the dates
- 1 pound pitted dates This comes out to a heaping two cups
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1½ cups boiling water
Step 2 - Mix the batter
- 1 stick softened butter
- 1½ cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- drained water from the soaking dates
- 2¾ cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts You can use other nuts such as pecans, hazelnuts, etc.
Instructions
- Add the baking soda to the boiling water and pour over chopped dates. Let sit until cool but DO NOT discard.
- Cream butter and sugar. Add egg and vanilla, then add the water strained from the dates.
- Add the flour and salt, and mix well.
- Gently mix in the dates and nuts. Pour into 5 grease and floured mini bread tins.
- Bake at 350°F. for approximately 30 minutes. If you are using two regular-sized bread pans, it will take about 50-60 minutes to bake. The internal temperature should reach 190° F. and there should be little to no wobble when you move the pans. See note below*
Notes
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