DATE PUDDING

It's hard to pass up a recipe that uses dates and I have also become very interested in Amish/Mennonite recipes for "puddings". This recipe offered by Judy Hochstedler in the Hochstedler Family Cookbook, A Collection of Edible Treasures from the family of Emanuel and Mattie Hochstedler.

I love dates in recipes and just by themselves. This Date Pudding is incredibly sweet. As I usually do when I bake with fruit/dried fruit, I decided to use a stevia/sugar blend for the sugar when I mixed it up. Personally I don't think I could have eaten it if I had made it with 1 cup of sugar. It is really sweet due to the natural sugar in the dates. I know my husband and I are used to desserts with less sugar, but really with all of the dates, it is really sweet.The next time I make it, I will just use a cup of stevia. I will leave it up to you as to which you decide to use.

Click here for a printable version of just the recipe.

DATE PUDDING

1       lb chopped dates
1       teaspoon soda
1       cup hot water
1       cup sugar (I used 1/2 cup stevia/sugar blend, but could have used 1 cup stevia instead)
1       egg
1       tablespoon butter
1-1/2 cup flour
1/2    cup walnuts chopped

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray baking dish around 8 x 10 - inches. (Will not be as thick in a 9 x 13 - inch pan.)

Mix the dates with the soda and add the hot water.

Press dates down in bowl to cover with the water. Set aside.

Stir together in a large mixing bowl the sugar, and flour.

Add the egg and softened butter and walnuts. Stir til blended. 

Add dates

and stir.

Spread in prepared pan.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes.

Cool in pan on wire rack. 











Cut in squares to serve. (Judy recommends serving with whipped cream and bananas.)

I just used whipped topping. My husband ate his plain.