Coffee Date Loaf
Look away now if you are expecting an art related blog this week....I can promise food photography...but not art which is still in completion on my easel. Sorry, but a mum that paints, also cooks... (and far too much then she really wants too.)
You know that feeling of anticipation when you have house guests coming to stay and you know they always bring a nice little pressie as a token of appreciation for a comfy bed and hospitality? Those pressies? Yep? Friends or family from Europe might bring some Swiss chocolates or a bottle of french perfume or a smooth red wine from Bordeaux and friends or family from Britain might bring a gift box of creamy fudge or shortbread.
Well, my brother lives in Dubai.
He brings enormous 1 kg gift boxes of...dates. Yes...D A T E S. Cause that's what you do when your brain is covered in a fine layer of desert sand. Thanks Uncle Ant!
My kids think that dates are sugar-coated cockroaches and Dude remembers a date as something we use to enjoy 17 years ago but now gets coerced into every few months by his forgiving wife... Personally, I love dates, the edible and 'date night' kind.
So, in the need to use up a kilo box of dates, I began searching the internet, magazines and cookbooks for innovative ways to use up my gift. I found a old tatty 'That's Life' magazine from year 2001 (How have I kept it that long???) and adapted a 'reader recipe', adding in choc chips, to make the most divine coffee date loaf EVER!!
This cake is super good for a number of reasons -
1. It uses up approximately a quarter of said kilo box of gifted dates.
2. Its low fat...which is perfect when you need to still make another 3 or so cakes to use up a kilo box of gifted dates.
3. Its got coffee and chocolate in it. Say no more.
4. Its quick and easy which is perfect in any language - arabic included.
5. Butter, milk, sugar (apart from choc bits!) and egg free and I'm sure it could be adapted to be gluten free too.
COFFEE DATE LOAF
SERVES - As many as you want it too...though 4 of us can devour one loaf in a day!
PREP - Not long if you have a thermomixer to chop your dates or longer if you just have a blunt knife...and even longer if your kilo box of dates still have the stones in them. Hmm.
COOK - 45 minutes 160c Fan forced oven or 180c normal.
2 cups of dates - chopped, no stones.
1/2 cup of sultanas
1/2 cup choc chips
1 and 1/4 cups strong hot coffee
1 and 1/3 cups self-raising flour sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1. Preheat oven to 160c fanforced or 180c normal. Grease the sides and line with baking paper the base of a standard loaf tin.
2. Put the dates and sultanas into a mixing bowl and pour over the hot coffee. Stir, then leave to soak and cool for about 30 minutes or so...or just go paint for a few hours and totally forget about it...
3. Add the flour, baking powder and choc chips to the fruit and mix well. Scoop the mixture into the loaf tin. Bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. My oven is exactly 45 minutes. Cool on a wire rack in the tin and serve as desired...great plain or with butter.
Its dense, tasty and so, so good. Even the date haters love it.
Back to art next week my friends....some good happenings in the studio.
Mia x
(Disclaimer - You may expect to see more food related posts here on My Mia's Art...I am really enjoying food photography just now and feel I may dabble in this art form a little more often...or not...depending on whether I have any super good recipe to share!)
Coffee Date Loaf
