Thread: Help with Fig nut bread

In article <[email protected]> ,
"madis" <bear_off@(nospam)hotmail.com> wrote:

> I've made this bread twice but it always crumbles. Instead of 1 cup dates I
> just use 2 cups dried figs and I substitute splenda for the sugar. Does
> anyone have any suggestions to keep it from falling apart when sliced?
> Ingredients:
>
> 1 cup chopped pitted dates
>
> 1 cup chopped dried figs
>
> 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
>
> 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
>
> 1 cup boiling water
>
> 1/2 cup white sugar
> 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
>
> 2 eggs
>
> 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
>
> 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
>
> 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
>
> 1/2 teaspoon salt

I don't think there's enough flour for all of the liquid in it. There
isn't enough gluten to hold things together. I have never used Splenda
in baking, so I can't vouch for how it would work here.

Cindy

--
C.J. Fuller

Delete the obvious to email me

On Oct 2, 10:32*am, "madis" <bear_off@(nospam)hotmail.com> wrote:
> I've made this bread twice but it always crumbles. *Instead of 1 cup dates I
> just use 2 cups dried figs and I substitute splenda for the sugar. *Does
> anyone have any suggestions to keep it from falling apart when sliced?
> Ingredients:
>
> * * * 1 cup chopped pitted dates
>
> * * * 1 cup chopped dried figs
>
> * * * 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
>
> * * * 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
>
> * * * 1 cup boiling water
>
> * * * 1/2 cup white sugar
> * * *1/2 cup chopped walnuts
>
> * * * 2 eggs
>
> * * * 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
>
> * * * 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
>
> * * * 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
>
> * * * 1/2 teaspoon salt

Dates, baking soda, and boiling water combine to make a peculiar
substance (I use it when making Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake) that figs
might not substitute for; I think they have less sugar than dates. I
don't bake with Splenda, so I don't know, but that could be another
part of your problem.

alcibiades

>On Oct 2, 10:32*am, "madis" <bear_off@(nospam)hotmail.com> wrote:
>> I've made this bread twice but it always crumbles. *Instead of 1 cup dates I
>> just use 2 cups dried figs and I substitute splenda for the sugar. *Does
>> anyone have any suggestions to keep it from falling apart when sliced?
>> Ingredients:
>>
>> * * * 1 cup chopped pitted dates
>>
>> * * * 1 cup chopped dried figs
>>
>> * * * 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
>>
>> * * * 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
>>
>> * * * 1 cup boiling water
>>
>> * * * 1/2 cup white sugar
>> * * *1/2 cup chopped walnuts
>>
>> * * * 2 eggs
>>
>> * * * 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
>>
>> * * * 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
>>
>> * * * 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
>>
>> * * * 1/2 teaspoon salt
>
>
Obviously not nearly enough liquid... the two cups of dried fruit will
absorb all of that one cup of water and be looking for more. It's
really a strange recipe, there isn't enough flour to balance out the
rest of the ingredients either... why don't you search for "date nut
bread" recipes to compare.

http://southernfood.about.com/od/dat...r/bl30519h.htm

Thanks
"brooklyn1" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]..
> >On Oct 2, 10:32 am, "madis" <bear_off@(nospam)hotmail.com> wrote:
>>> I've made this bread twice but it always crumbles. Instead of 1 cup
>>> dates I
>>> just use 2 cups dried figs and I substitute splenda for the sugar. Does
>>> anyone have any suggestions to keep it from falling apart when sliced?
>>> Ingredients:
>>>
>>> 1 cup chopped pitted dates
>>>
>>> 1 cup chopped dried figs
>>>
>>> 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
>>>
>>> 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
>>>
>>> 1 cup boiling water
>>>
>>> 1/2 cup white sugar
>>> 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
>>>
>>> 2 eggs
>>>
>>> 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
>>>
>>> 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
>>>
>>> 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
>>>
>>> 1/2 teaspoon salt
>>
>>
> Obviously not nearly enough liquid... the two cups of dried fruit will
> absorb all of that one cup of water and be looking for more. It's
> really a strange recipe, there isn't enough flour to balance out the
> rest of the ingredients either... why don't you search for "date nut
> bread" recipes to compare.
>
> http://southernfood.about.com/od/dat...r/bl30519h.htm



Ill try that recipe. I can see that the ratio dried to water is equal so ill
use one cup of dried figs (or maybe I should weigh 8 oz) and regular flour
to get more gluten. I wont use splenda and see if it comes out right.
I'm a little concerned that this recipe using one less egg and less butter
that it might end up on the very dry side.

Thank you for the advice.