DATE-NUT BREAD
(like Van de Kamp's)
"The best date-nut bread I ever had was made by the old Van de Kamp bakeries. Unfortunately, that old chain died and sold their name to a company that doesn't make the same recipe. After many trials, I came up with the following recipe that comes very close to the original. It's heavy, moist, with a mild date flavor and a shiny, sweet gloss that forms naturally as the loaf cools. I hope you like it.
Ingredients
4 oz. moist, fresh, pitted dates, chopped up as fine as possible
1 cup water
1 cup packed brown sugar
4 tbsp butter, melted
1 egg, beaten
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp real vanilla extract
1/2 cup walnut pieces
1 1/3 cup unbleached flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
4 oz. moist, fresh, pitted dates, chopped up as fine as possible
1 cup water
1 cup packed brown sugar
4 tbsp butter, melted
1 egg, beaten
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp real vanilla extract
1/2 cup walnut pieces
1 1/3 cup unbleached flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
Preparation
Combine the dates and water in a pan and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and use a hand blender to puree the mixture. Return to low heat and add the sugar and butter. Stir until the sugar melts. Remove from heat. Temper the beaten egg with some of the warm mixture, then whisk in the egg to the rest of the mixture being careful not to overheat and scramble the egg. (You may want to let the hot mixture cool 15 minutes to make sure this doesn't happen.) Add the salt and walnut pieces.
Mix the flour and baking powder, then stir this into the warm mixture. Use a two-pronged fork for this and only mix until the batter is smooth. (Note: the heating routine can be skipped if a food processor is used to puree the dates and water.) Pour into a greased, 8 x 4 inch glass bread pan.*
Bake for 50-60 minutes in a 325 degree F oven. A toothpick should come out clean when inserted into the middle of the loaf. Remove from the oven and cover immediately and tightly with aluminum foil for at least one hour before slicing. This bread is great slathered in butter while still warm.
*Covering the bottom and sides of the pan with aluminum foil, then scratching out the foil from the center of the bottom, will help prevent the sides of the loaf from burning before the inside is completely done.
Combine the dates and water in a pan and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and use a hand blender to puree the mixture. Return to low heat and add the sugar and butter. Stir until the sugar melts. Remove from heat. Temper the beaten egg with some of the warm mixture, then whisk in the egg to the rest of the mixture being careful not to overheat and scramble the egg. (You may want to let the hot mixture cool 15 minutes to make sure this doesn't happen.) Add the salt and walnut pieces.
Mix the flour and baking powder, then stir this into the warm mixture. Use a two-pronged fork for this and only mix until the batter is smooth. (Note: the heating routine can be skipped if a food processor is used to puree the dates and water.) Pour into a greased, 8 x 4 inch glass bread pan.*
Bake for 50-60 minutes in a 325 degree F oven. A toothpick should come out clean when inserted into the middle of the loaf. Remove from the oven and cover immediately and tightly with aluminum foil for at least one hour before slicing. This bread is great slathered in butter while still warm.
*Covering the bottom and sides of the pan with aluminum foil, then scratching out the foil from the center of the bottom, will help prevent the sides of the loaf from burning before the inside is completely done.
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