Maple Date Bread

This recipe is from a Fall Baking magazine by Better Homes and Gardens. They are one of my favorite cookbook and cooking magazines and I use them a lot. This calls for dates which I had just bought at Costco, nice large soft dates.  Well, this bread smells so good I don’t know how we are going to leave it till tomorrow to slice. 

 Pure maple syrup, dates and fresh orange juice, what’s not to like. The maple oatmeal topping did sink in a little on two of the loaves but not a lot. Again, I really don’t think we are going to be able to hold out on slicing at least one of these loaves of quick bread.

 I did bake them in the foil throwaway pans as was suggested and will give at least two of them away. One to Sue and John as she gave me enough of her maple syrup to make up what I was short. And one to our daughter and grandson.

Now I have to buy some maple syrup again, maybe more bread?

Maple Date Bread

Bake 30 minutes at 350°F             

2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

¾ teaspoon baking soda

½ cup water

½ to 1 teaspoon orange zest (optional)

½ cup orange juice or water

1 cup chopped pitted dried dates (5 oz.) Chop with scissors 

1 Tablespoon softened butter

¾ cup pure maple syrup

1 large egg lightly beaten

1 recipe Maple Oatmeal Topping

  Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease bottoms and ½ inch up sides of four 5 ¾ x 3 ¼ disposable foil loaf pans. In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda, make a well in center and set aside.

 In a small saucepan heat the water, the orange zest (if using) and orange juice until boiling, remove from heat, stir in butter and dates, let cool for 5 to ten minutes. Stir maple syrup and egg into date mixture. Add egg date mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should still be lumpy). Pour batter into the four greased pans. Sprinkle with Maple Oatmeal Topping.

 Bake 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans on a wire rack. You may leave them in the pans for gifts. For easier slicing, wrap with plastic wrap and let stand overnight. Makes 4 mini loaves

Maple Oatmeal Topping

 In a bowl combine ¼ cup regular rolled oats, 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar and 2 tablespoons all purpose flour. Using a pastry blender cut in 2 tablespoons cold butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup.