Ingredients:
6 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled,plus additional
butter, for greasing the loaf pan
2 cups flour, plus
additional flour, for dusting the pan
1 cup pecans
1 cup boiling water
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups pitted dates, chopped coarsely
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Make sure the rack is in the center of the oven.
Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with butter, dust with flour, and tap out the excess.
Spread the nuts on a baking sheet and place in oven until slightly darkened in color and yummy-smelling, about 8 minutes.
Remove the nuts from the oven and allow to them to cool.
Transfer the nuts to a cutting board and coarsely chop (I’ve even pulsed them in the food processor, much easier).
Meanwhile, stir together the water, baking soda and dates in a medium bowl.
Cover and set aside until the dates have softened, about 20 to 30 minutes.
Stir the melted butter and sugar together in a medium bowl.
Add the eggs and stir until combined.
Stir in the date mixture until well combined.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder and nuts.
Stir the butter/sugar/egg/date mixture into the flour mixture with a rubber spatula until just moistened.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth out the surface with the rubber spatula.
Bake until dark brown and a skewer (in my house this means a match) inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking.
Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
Servings: Serve
Time preparation: 40 min.
Time total: 100 min.