According to my Mom, there were some foods that "were never sent to our men on the front lines". Among those items was the sweet and gooey date fruit. "They were just too sticky" Mom would say. "So the foods not suitable for our fighting men were what we used," she said. And date nut bread became quite popular. This recipe dates (pun intended) to 1945.
- 1 cup chopped dates (pitted, of course)
- 1 beaten egg
- 1 cup hot water
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 cups chopped pecans
- Pour the very hot water over the dates and let them stand until the water cools.
- Beat the egg and add to the date-water mixture with the sugar.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients and mix in with the date mixture until just blended.
- Add nuts in last in one or two swift folds.
- Pour into a buttered bread pan and bake at 350 for 1 hour or until done.
- Let cool in the pan.
Yes you can turn these into muffins! But watch the baking time! I reduced it to 20 - 25 minutes so you'll want to test at 15 depending on your oven. I suggest 15 minutes max for mini muffins.
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| These mini date nut muffins were a hit with the troops at Christmas |