Healthful Date Bread Recipes

DATE BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray.
• Place the dates in a small bowl and sprinkle with the salt and baking soda. Pour the boiling water over the mixture and allow it to sit until it cools.
• Meanwhile, in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or in a large bowl using a handheld mixer (or a whisk and a lot of elbow grease), beat the sugar and butter until creamy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until well combined, about 1 minute. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the date mixture (water and all) and then fold in the flour. The batter will be very stiff.
• Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and, using a rubber spatula, smooth out the top so the loaf is even. Bake until the loaf is dark golden brown, a toothpick tests clean when inserted into the center of the loaf, and the bread is firm to the touch, about 40 minutes. Let the bread cool completely on a wire rack before turning it out of the pan and slicing it. Leftovers can be stored in a plastic bag at room temperature for up to 3 days (if the slices get a bit dry, you can revive them in a toaster oven or regular oven set at 300 degrees F for a few minutes before serving).

MOIST DATE NUT BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees F). Grease and flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
• In a medium bowl, combine the dates and butter. Pour boiling water over them, and let stand until cool.
• When the dates have cooled, stir the mixture to break up any clumps. Mix in the brown sugar and egg until well blended. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; stir into the date mixture until just blended. Stir in walnuts. Pour into the prepared pan.
• Bake for 50 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean.

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.)