Quick + Easy Gluten Free by Becky Excell (Quadrille, £20) Photography by Hannah Hughes
Gluten-Free Date and Walnut Loaf
The inspiration for this recipe? You guys requested it so many times that I had no choice! And I'm so glad you did because this humble classic quickly became one of my favourite bakes, with a wonderful, fruity, almost caramel-like flavour packed into every slice. Serving suggestion: add a good slathering of butter to a slice and enjoy with a hot cuppa.
Serves
8
Prep
15 mins
Cook
30 mins
Ingredients
- 250g pitted dates, chopped
- 150ml boiling water
- 90g butter
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 100g light brown sugar
- 85g walnuts, chopped, plus an extra 15g, chopped, for on top
- 2 medium eggs, beaten
- 225g gluten-free self-raising flour
- ¼ tsp xanthan gum
- ½ tsp gluten-free baking powder
Method
Preheat your oven to 150C fan/170C. Line a 900g loaf tin with non-stick baking parchment.
Place the chopped dates, boiling water, butter, bicarb and sugar in a large bowl and mix together so the butter melts. Leave for about 15 minutes so that the mixture cools down a little.
Add the chopped walnuts and beaten eggs and mix again before adding the flour, xanthan gum and baking powder, mixing to combine.
Pour the mixture into the prepared tin, sprinkle with extra chopped walnuts and bake for about 60–65 minutes, covering loosely with foil if it starts to brown a little too much during cooking.
Allow to cool in the tin for a while before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Slice and enjoy as it is, or spread with a little butter.
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