Lemon Walnut Date Bread

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon baking soda 
• 2 tablespoons butter at room temperature
• 1 cup dates pitted chopped
• 1 large eggs 
• 1.8 cups flour all-purpose
• 5 oz optional: lemon 
• 0.5 cup juice of lemon 
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 1.3 cups sugar 
• 1 cup walnuts chopped

Equipment

• food processor
• bowl
• frying pan
• oven
• loaf pan
• toothpicks
• skewers

Directions

1. Coarsely chop lemon, including peel and rind; discard seeds.
2. Place lemon and dates in a food processor; whirl until evenly chopped.
3. Add 3/4 cup sugar, the butter, and egg; whirl until blended and the lemon and dates are finely chopped.
4. In a bowl, mix flour, baking soda, and salt.
5. Add to date mixture; whirl until blended. Stir in walnuts.
6. Spread batter into a buttered and floured 4- by 8-inch glass loaf pan.
7. Bake in a 325 oven until a toothpick inserted in center of thickest part comes out clean, about 1 hour.
8. Meanwhile, in a 1- to 1 1/2-quart pan, combine remaining 1/2 cup sugar and lemon juice. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes.
9. When bread is done, use a long, thin skewer to make holes about 1/2 inch apart all over surface.
10. Pour hot syrup evenly over hot bread in pan.
11. Let stand at room temperature until bread absorbs all syrup, about 2 hours. Turn out of pan onto plate. Cover airtight; chill overnight or up to 3 days. Thinly slice to serve. Chill leftover bread airtight.