Recipe: Mom's Date Nut Bread

Mom's Date Nut Bread
rec.food.recipes/Lee Newland (1996)

My mom has been making this recipe ever since I can remember - and I can remember a long time! I've made it a number of times and it's always delicious. The worst part of it is the tedium of cutting up the dates and breaking the nuts, but pre-cut dates and nuts are smaller than I like; I like the pieces big enough so you can really know you're eating a date or a nut. - PJ Newland

4 cups dates, cut up into large pieces
2 cups nuts, coarsely broken (Mom uses walnuts, I use pecans)
2 cups boiling water
1/2 cups shortening
1 1/2 cups brown sugar, firmly packed (dark brown is best)
2 eggs, room temperature
4 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda
2/3 cup hot water

Put dates and nuts into a large bowl. Pour the boiling water over them, stir and set aside while you mix the batter.

Cream the shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and beat hard.

Sift the flour and salt together.

Add baking soda to the date and nut mixture. Stir the flour mixture into the creamed mixture alternately with the dates and nuts - starting and ending with flour. Stir in the 2/3 cup hot water and mix gently but thoroughly.

Pour into four or five small loaf pans which have been greased and floured. Bake at 350F. for about 45 minutes (until toothpick comes out dry). Cool in pans for about 10 minutes, then turn out and cool completely.

Wrap in plastic wrap. Best if allowed to age at least overnight; this bread keeps well.