Date and rye bread recipe
The dark rye flour and sweet dates are a perfect pairing and this dark loaf goes brilliantly with cheese.
How to
1. Whisk 350ml hand-hot water with the honey until it dissolves, then whisk in the dried active yeast. Leave for 10-15 minutes until the liquid has a froth on top.
2. Put the flours and 1 tsp salt in a large bowl and mix. Pour in the yeasty liquid and mix in the flour until you have a sticky dough.
3. Tip onto a floured work surface and knead for 5-10 minutes until the dough feels smooth and a finger indent pops out quickly. Put into a clean, oiled bowl then cover with clingfilm and leave in a warm place for an hour, or until it doubles in size.
4. Tip the risen dough onto a floured surface, then knead briefly to knock the air out. Sprinkle over the chopped dates and knead them into the dough.
5. Divide the dough in two, then shape each into a tight round ball and put them on a floured baking sheet. Slash the top of each a couple of times with a sharp serrated knife.
6. Leave for an hour to prove again. Heat the oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Bake the loaves for 30 minutes. Cool completely before slicing.
