Well, pretty safe to say this one isn’t going to win any awards for beauty. But it sure is tasty. And that’s all that matters!
This recipe isn’t exactly what you’d call speedy. But it is certainly extremely easy. It’s more of an overnight recipe with it’s 12-18 hour proving time – but it’s honestly pretty foolproof and VERY hands-off.
I usually prepare the dough before bedtime and then pop it in the oven the next morning. It’s the perfect situation. You wake up, you pop the dough in the oven and just like magic… you’ve got a fruit loaf AND your house smells like fresh baked bread.
This bread is lightly spiced with nutmeg, cinnamon and ground all spice, then you have little pops of sweetness from the dates and crunch of toasty nuts. Just heat yourself up a slice, slather on the butter (vegan, of course!) for a delicious brekkie treat.
Note: A little word of warning, when you take the lid of the pot during baking, keep a keen eye on the loaf as it can catch quite quickly. (great example above!)
Date & Walnut Bread
Makes 1 large loaf
Ingredients
250g Strong Bread Flour
325g Plain Flour
1/2 tsp Yeast
1 tsp Sea Salt
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Nutmeg
1/2 tsp Ground All Spice
80g Dates – chopped
80g Walnuts – chopped
Method
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk flour, yeast, salt, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and all spice together.
- Gradually add 375ml of warm water to the bowl. Mix with a wooden spoon to form a rough mixture. Add the chopped dates and walnuts and start to work into the dough with your hands.
- Turn out on to a lightly floured work surface and knead for 5 minutes – note, the dough will still be slightly tacky after kneading.
- Transfer to a clean bowl and cover with clingfilm. Leave at room temperature for 12-18 hours at which point the dough should have doubled in size.
- When the dough has proved and risen, preheat oven to 240 degrees celsius. Line a cast iron pot with baking paper and place in the oven to warm up for 30 minutes.
- Remove the cast iron pot (be careful because it will be extremely hot!), and place the dough on top of the baking paper inside the pot. Place back in the oven and cook for 30 minutes with the lid on.
- Remove the lid and let the bread cook for a further 10-15 minutes until browned on top. Keep an eye on it as it can catch quickly.
- Take the pot out of the oven and allow to cool – then enjoy!
Ready for Pinning!
