GLUTEN FREE DATE NUT BREAD RECIPE with DAIRY FREE INSTRUCTIONS & Copycat GF CHOCK FULL O’ NUTS DATE NUT BREAD with CREAM CHEESE SANDWICHES

Posted by Bryna Bear aka Gluten Free Baking Bear

      I passed by a Chock full o’ Nuts cafe in Brooklyn last month.  I could not believe it since I thought that they were closed years ago. It turns out that some cafes have reopened in the last six years or so.  When I was a child I remember going shopping with my mother and getting treated to date nut bread with cream cheese sandwiches at a Chock full o’ Nuts cafe afterwards.  I used to love those sandwiches.  I don’t think that I have even had date nut bread since I was a child.  Well, the wheels in my head started.  I now want (must make) a gluten free date nut bread and cream cheese sandwich like those from Chock full o’ Nuts.
     Date Nut Bread is a sweet quick bread, like banana bread or zucchini bread not a bread like a traditional sandwich bread.  It is more dessert like, but with the cream cheese it makes a satisfying and filling sandwich.  This recipe is easy to slice with a serrated knife.  The bread is moist but firm enough to make sturdy sandwiches.
     I searched for copycat date nut bread recipes and decided to try one from an article about Lost Foods of New York City.  It was definitely the right choice!  After converting it to a GF version I made a cream cheese sandwich as soon as the bread cooled.  OMG!  It was incredibly delicious.  I honestly do not remember what the original one tasted like, but this recipe is fabulous.  No wonder I loved these as a child. This would be great at a Tea Party! I will be making this bread again and again.
  ***Check out the Baking Beauties & Allergy Free Alaska websites.  They are hosting a blogger & DIY link up.  What a great way to learn about other blogs.

GLUTEN FREE DATE NUT BREAD

Makes one loaf

Ingredients
BREAD

1 cup / 8 ounces	Dates - pitted and chopped
3/4 cup	Water - boiling
3/4 cup	Sorghum Flour
1/2 cup	Tapioca Flour
1/4 cup	Chickpea Flour
3/4 tsp.	Xanthan Gum
2 tsp.	Baking Powder
1/2 tsp.	Sea Salt
1/2 tsp.	Cinnamon
1/8 tsp.	Nutmeg
1 cup	Walnuts - chopped
3 Tbs.	Butter or for Dairy Free use Oil (I used oil)
3/4 cup	Sugar (you can adjust this to taste)
2 large	Eggs
1 tsp.	Vanilla Extract

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°.  Lightly grease a 9x5-inch metal loaf pan and set aside.  (Do not use a glass pan as it will get too hot and cause the bread edges touching the pan to brown too much or even burn.)
2. Add the chopped dates to a medium heat safe bowl.  Pour the boiling water over the dates and let them sit for about 15 minutes while you mix the batter.
3. In a medium bowl add all the flours, salt, xanthan gum, cinnamon, nutmeg and baking powder.  Mix well with a whisk.  Add the nuts and mix.  Set aside.
4. In a large bowl add the butter or oil and sugar and mix well.  Then add the eggs and vanilla and mix in well.
5. Add half the date mixture and mix well, then add half the flour mixture and combine well.  Repeat with the other half of the ingredients.
6. Scoop batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
7. Bake 45-55 minutes or until a cake tester or toothpick comes out with some crumbs still sticking to it.  Do not over bake or the bread will be too dry.  I tested it after 45 minutes and then again after five minutes.  In total it took 55 minutes in my oven.

   

   GF Date Nut Bread cooling for 10 minutes in the pan.

8. Let the bread cool for 10 minutes in the pan before removing it to a rack to cool completely.

   

   Bread cooling on a rack.

9. When completely cool slice with a serrated knife. 

   

   Bread cooled and sliced with a serrated knife.

GF CHOCK FULL O’ NUTS DATE NUT BREAD 
WITH CREAM CHEESE SANDWICHES

FILLING

8 ounces

Cream Cheese - for Dairy Free, use Dairy Free Cream Cheese.

You will need 1-2 Tbs. of Cream Cheese per sandwich.
My favorite way is to spread cream cheese on each slice of bread before putting the two slices together to make the sandwich.

GF Date Nut Bread with cream cheese spread on two slices.        

GLUTEN FREE DATE NUT BREAD Makes one loaf Ingredients BREAD 1 cup / 8 ounces Dates - pitted and chopped 3/4 cup Water - boiling 3/4 cup Sorghum Flour 1/2 cup Tapioca Flour 1/4 cup Chickpea Flour 3/4 tsp. Xanthan Gum 2 tsp. Baking Powder ½ tsp. Sea Salt 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon 1/8 tsp. Nutmeg 1 cup Walnuts - chopped 3 Tbs. Butter or for Dairy Free use Oil (I used oil) 3/4 cup Sugar (you can adjust this to taste) 2 large Eggs 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract Directions Preheat the oven to 350°. Lightly grease a 9x5-inch metal loaf pan and set aside. (Do not use a glass pan as it will get too hot and cause the bread edges touching the pan to brown too much or even burn.) Add the chopped dates to a medium heat safe bowl. Pour the boiling water over the dates and let them sit for about 15 minutes while you mix the batter. In a medium bowl add all the flours, salt, xanthan gum, cinnamon, nutmeg and baking powder. Mix well with a whisk. Add the nuts and mix. Set aside. In a large bowl add the butter or oil and sugar and mix well. Then add the eggs and vanilla and mix in well. Add half the date mixture and mix well, then add half the flour mixture and combine well. Repeat with the other half of the ingredients. Scoop batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake 45-55 minutes or until a cake tester or toothpick comes out with some crumbs still sticking to it. Do not over bake or the bread will be too dry. I tested it after 45 minutes and then again after five minutes. In total it took 55 minutes in my oven. Let the bread cool for 10 minutes in the pan before removing it to a rack to cool completely. When completely cool slice with a serrated knife. COPYCAT GF CHOCK FULL O’ NUTS DATE NUT BREAD & CREAM CHEESE SANDWICHES FILLING 8 ounces Cream Cheese - for Dairy Free, use Dairy Free Cream Cheese. You will need 1-2 Tbs. of Cream Cheese per sandwich. My favorite way is to spread cream cheese on each slice of bread before putting the two slices together to make the sandwich.