‘Bread with bits’ was the challenge from Jen at Jen’s Food and Michelle at Utterly Scrummy Food for Families for the May Bready Steady Go! The Bread with Bits challenge is hosted at Utterly Scrummy Food for Families
Now you might not think this bread I made had many bits in it, they are certainly not obvious but you can certainly taste them because this is Date and Coconut Bread. I seemed to have a surfeit of dates in my cupboard and some desiccated coconut I’d bought for another recipe, it seems like a good combination to go with and I was right. The bread is slightly sweet but not overpoweringly so. It is fabulous just with butter or as toast with marmalade, but would also work with cheese or with a soup like a butternut squash or parsnip where there is already some sweetness.
Date and Coconut Bread Recipe
A semi-sweet homemade bread that makes the very best toast and also goes well with soup.
- 130 g strong white flour
- 130 g wholemeal flour
- 1 1/2 tsp fast action yeast
- 4 tbsp chopped dates
- 4 tbsp dessicated coconut
- 1 egg
- 3 tbsp water
- 65 ml milk
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- 1 tsp salt.
if you are using a breadmaker with a fruit and nut dispenser put the dates and coconut in the dispenser (see notes)
- If you are making your bread without a bread machine, then here are the instructions:
- Mix all ingredients, apart from the dates and coconut, in a large bowl. Make sure the yeast does not come into direct contact with the salt when you first add them to the bowl.
- Knead well until the dough is elastic, smooth and shiny. Cover with a piece of cling film and leave to rise for one hour.
- Add the dates and coconut to the dough and knead again for 5 minutes until they are mixed through the dough.
- Either shape and place into a 450g (1 lb) tin or form into a round and place on a baking tray, leave to prove for an hour in a warm place.
- Bake at 220C/425F/Gas 7 for 30 minutes until golden-brown. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.
I made my loaf in the bread maker using the programme for fruit bread. This meant simply adding all the ingredients except the dates and coconut and using the fruit and nut dispenser to automatically add them in later.
MORE BREAD RECIPES
Rye and Caraway Seed Bread, its perfect for open sandwiches
Dill Onion Yogurt Bread. a herb flavoured savoury bread that’s soft and delicious
Slow Rise No Knead Sourdough – Fuss Free Flavours
Easy Cheesy Jalapeno Bread – Fab Food 4 All
Kale and Herb Soda Bread – Veggie Desserts
That looks so great and so wholesome too. I adore hidden coconut in stuff so this bread really appeals to me!
Thanks Dom, it is so easy to add stuff to bread and makes a nice change.
I love baking with coconut, it's been ages since I put any in bread though and I have loads in the cupboard from over ordering on online shopping! Will be giving this a go soon. Thanks for joining in with Bready Steady Go 🙂
Definitely a good way to use up coconut. Thanks for a great challenge.
Making it tomorrow. I need to buy some more dates first. Does look enticing.
Enjoy!
I am a recent convert to coconut in bread but certainly love it so I know that this will be good.
Thanks Bintu, I think I am a convert now too!
What a great combination and perfect for a healthy start to the day. GG
Thanks Amanda.
Now I need bread, and it is a fast day, thanks Janice! 🙂 Looks so tasty and with a wonderful texture too. Karen
Mine too Karen, there's always tomorrow!
Ooh – this sounds like a fantastic combination. I really must get back into a bit of bread making!
You should Laura. Worth looking at the Bready Steady Go challenge it certainly got me baking bread again.
Ooh coconut in bread, what a splendid idea. This does look rather fabulous and the dates sound an excellent addition. I've got some rather old ones knocking about the place and …
I love this sound of this – coconut in bread is something I haven't done but want to try
I am super impressed! Way to go! It looks amazing! I will sometime visit in your "Coconut Bread".
Very good recipe for me, I think, I want to try it out tomorrow, If you can post more images, it would be better, I have read most of the posts from your blog, thanks