It feels like an age since I’ve been here last. Christmas has gone and with it the new year and now a new season has appeared.

 

There have been excuses, plenty of excuses, but when it comes right down to it, it has been all me.

I have lacked focus and energy, things, whims and work pulling me in all directions. Family chapters ending and new ones starting. New flows to life to adjust to but now I’m present and with a semi idea of a plan.

I shot this recipe well before Christmas and it has been waiting patiently for written words to accompany it.

 

A beautiful loaf bread recipe perfect for the turning season. With a flavour base of sweet potato, boosted with dates and hazelnuts there is a definite rustic charm. Rapadura sugar also called jaggery is used as the sweetener. Rapadura sugar is an unrefined sugar that contains more of it’s original mineral content. Its traditonally made by boiling and reducing the syrup of sugar cane down, think maple syrup. It then solidifies and is ground up to create granules. It has a deeper more caramelised flavour that works perfectly with the dates and sweet potato. I buy mine from my local indian grocers but you can find it in most health food shops these days.

Perfect toasted until hot and crisped and served with lashings of butter and a hot cup of tea. For breakfast, brunch or anytime in between.

 

 

Sweet Potato, Date and Hazelnut Loaf

serves 10 prep 10 minutes Cooking time 1 – 1 1/2 hrs

 

1 cup Sweet Potato mash (I whole roasted mine, then chilled, then mashed)

1/2 cup Linseed Meal (or LSA)

1 cup Buckwheat Flour

1 cup Almond Flour

1/2 cup Dessicated Coconut

1/2 cup Rapadura Sugar + extra for topping

2 tsp heaped Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Bicarb Soda

1/2 cup Chopped Dates

1/4 cup chopped Hazelnuts +extra for topping

1 tsp Cinnamon

4 Eggs

1/2 cup oil (I used a mix of Macadamia, coconut and olive oils)

3/4 cup Coconut Quench or coconut milk

Coconut flakes for topping

 

Preheat oven to 140C (fan forced) and line a loaf tin with silicone paper

In a bowl combine the linseed meal, buckwheat flour, almond meal/flour, coconut, rapadura sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, bicarb soda and give a quick stir to combine.

Then add the chopped dates, hazelnuts and stir to incorporate.

In a separate bowl combine the eggs, oil and coconut quench or coconut milk. Whisk until full emulsified together.

Add the wet ingredients and the sweet potato mash into the dry and stir until just but fully combined.

Spoon into the lined loaf tin, place on the middle rack of oven and bake for 1 1/2 until skewer comes out clean.

Keep wrapped in an air tight container for 1 week or slice wrap and freeze.

 

Notes:

 

Linseed meal, buckwheat flour and rapadura sugar can be found at health food stores, selected super markets online.

coconut flakes can be substituted with some shredded or dessicated coconut.