Date Apple Coffee Bread

Quick breads are among my favorite things to bake. Everyone likes them, they keep well, sell at bake sales and are just plain good eating.

  That said, this is one of, if not the best, quick breads I bake. From the Better Homes & Gardens All Time Favorite Bread Recipes it is easy to see why this is included in the book. No one will guess that there is a cup of coffee in it, and there just isn’t better eating for a coffee break than this.

Date-Apple Coffee Bread

1 tablespoon instant coffee crystals

1 cup boiling water

1 ⅓ cups snipped pitted dates (9 oz.)*

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

¾ cup packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 beaten egg

2 medium apples, peeled, cored and shredded (1 cup)**

½ cup chopped nuts

2 tablespoons butter, melted

  Dissolve coffee crystal in boiling water; pour over dates. Set aside. In large mixing bowl stir together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Combine egg, shredded apple, walnuts, melted butter and coffee gate mixture. Add to flour mixture, stirring just till moistened. Turn into greased 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan. Bake in 350° for 60 to 65 minutes till wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove from pan; cool thoroughly on wire rack, Make one loaf

*Use the best dates you can find. They are a major ingredient and the better they are the better the bread will taste. Snip with kitchen shears.

** I don’t shred the apple as it disappears, I just dice it finely.