Date and Nut Bread ڈیٹ اورنٹ کی بریڈ recipe by morEwish

 

This quick bread is loaded with chopped dates and walnuts for a delicious combination. It’s a sweet, nutty and subtly chocolate-y and way good to enjoy for breakfast or at tea time.

When I did little reasearch, it appears that date and walnut breads have some origins in Scotland. And Grandma's back then would wash-out cans from let’s say green beans or corn or something and she would fill them half way and baked this bread in the actual cans. Which sounds retro and totally screams the 50’s. But today I am not baking bread in cans, I'am taking the ol’ loaf route.

For this recipe first soak dry dates in boiling water and baking soda, this will plump the dates and activate baking soda. You can wrap and freeze these loaves for impromptu coffee dates or impromptu hunger pangs. You could double the recipe, bake small loafs, wrap them in cute little packages and handout as gifts as well.

This bread is delicious for breakfast, smeared with butter or cream cheese- or just by itself. It's so good, you'll find yourself ready for another piece right away!

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Ingredients: 

8 ounces (225 grams) dried dates (chuwaray چھوارے), coarsely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups firmly packed coarsely chopped dates)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup walnuts
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
1/2 cup (113 grams) cold unsalted butter, diced
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Recipe adapted from Joy of Baking