Freda Mary Lord's Date And Walnut Loaf

• 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped dates
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 5 tablespoons sweet butter, in pieces
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
• 1 large egg, beaten

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Butter and flour a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan.
3. Over medium heat slowly bring the dates and water just to a boil.
4. Remove from heat, beat in the baking soda (it will bubble up) and allow to cool.
5. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl.
6. Using a pastry blender or your fingertips, rub the butter into the dry ingredients.
7. Stir in the sugar and the nuts.
8. Add the date mixture and the egg, and mix thoroughly to form a stiff batter.
9. Spoon batter into prepared pan and smooth the top.
10. Bake in the lower part of the oven 1 1/2 hours until the loaf is firm to the touch and shrinks slightly from the sides of the pan.
11. Cool in the pan.
12. Keep at least one day before using.
13. Well-wrapped, the bread will keep at least one week.
14. It can be frozen.

dates, water, baking soda, wholewheat flour, baking powder, salt, sweet butter, sugar, walnuts, egg

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1584 (may not work)