The dating game .......Chocolate Orange Date Nut Loaf

Is it just me or has the date nut loaf fallen out of favour? It seems that this once popular quick bread has fallen off the face of the earth; so, feeling somewhat nostalgic, I resurrected one of my old recipes. To help it into the new decade I gave it a slight facelift by introducing cocoa and orange zest to the original recipe. I also decided to add a streusel topping. For one of the small loaves I added a decadent touch by placing a layer of Belgian dark chocolate disks on the top after it was baked. I then returned it to the oven for a minute to allow the chocolate to fully melt before spreading it on the loaf. Who can say this is not a wholesome treat, what with so little butter in the recipe and all the benefits that the dates provide. Dates are not only rich in fiber, but also loaded with a wide range of nutrients like calcium, iron and potassium to name just a few.


Ingredients:

Streusel topping
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup toasted pecans
2 tablespoons soft butter

Add all the ingredients to a small bowl and blend using your fingers or a fork.

Loaf batter:
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup dates
1 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg
1 cup brown sugar
zest of one orange (about 1 tablespoon)
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon melted butter


In a small bowl sift the flour,salt and cocoa powder and set aside. In another bowl add the dates and baking soda. Heat the orange juice to almost boiling point and pour over the dates. Allow to cool to room temperature. In a large bowl beat the egg and gradually whisk in the sugar, vanilla and orange zest. Blend in the cooled date mixture and then incorporate the dry ingredients, just until blended. Pour into a prepared loaf pan measuring 8 ½" x 4 ½" x 2½ " or 2 smaller loaf tins. Sprinkle the streusel mixture on top and bake at 350ºF oven for 50-60 minutes for larger loaf and 40 minutes for the smaller ones.