DATE BREAD
This Date Bread is made using fermented dough where I have added pureed dates, chopped nuts and dried fruits. It is a sweet bread that can be enjoyed for breakfast or at tea time on Christmas Day. Can bake it a few days before Christmas. Toast it or warm it up before serving.
Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 12-14 soft dates
- 1¼ -1½ cup warm milk
- 2 tsp dried active instant yeast
- 1 tsp tea masala
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- ¼ cup raisins
- ¼ cup mixed peels
- ¼ cup walnuts chopped
- 3 tbsp soft butter
- 2-3 tbsp brown sugar
- extra flour for dusting
- extra butter for greasing
- 1 tbsp milk for brushing
Instructions
PREPARATION OF DATE PUREE:
- Remove the seeds from the dates.
- Heat the milk till it is hot.
- Add the dates to it and keep it on the side for 15-20 minutes.
- Puree the mixture in a blender.
PREPARATION OF DATE BREAD:
- Mix flour, yeast, tea masala, salt and sugar in a big bowl.
- Add the date puree to the flour mixture. Make sure it is warm and not cold. If it becomes cold warm it up.
- Mix and form a dough.
- Dust the worktop lightly with some flour and knead the dough for 10 - 15 minutes. In between add small knobs of butter.
- Knead the dough till it is smooth and silky.
- Alternately, knead the dough in your food processor using a dough hook. I allow it to knead for at least 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, add 1 tbsp of butter. Knead till it is incorporated in the dough.
- Repeat with the remaining 2 tbsp butter.
- Remove the dough from the food processor bowl onto a lightly flour dusted worktop.
- Add the dried fruits to the dough and knead for a few more minutes.
- Grease the bowl lightly with some butter.
- Shape the dough into a ball and place it in the bowl.
- Cover it with a cling film, wet towel or a lid and keep in a warm place for about 1½ hours or till it is double the size.
- Gently knead it on a lightly floured surface and shape it into a round ball or place it a loaf tin (9"X5"). If you are shaping it into a round ball then place it on a greased tray. Let the dough rise again for about 40-60 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Brush the top of the risen dough gently with some milk.
- Bake the bread for 30-35 minutes till the top is dark golden brown.
- If you find the top of the bread is dark brown before the baking time is over, cover it with a foil and continue to bake.
- Remove the loaf from the oven and let it cool down completely on a wire rack.
- Slice the bread and serve with some butter, jam or marmalade. Or toast it and enjoy.
Notes
The dough should not be hard or too sticky soft.
If the dough is too soft, don't be tempted to add more flour, add 1-2 tbsp. Usually, when you knead the dough it becomes less sticky. Better to add butter than flour.
Add nuts and dried fruits of your choice.
Make sure you incorporate the dried fruits and nuts well into the dough.
If you are baking a round bread or boule, make the ball tight. Check the video how it is done. Using the sides of your palms you keep tucking in the sides of the ball.