This dark, slightly chewy, raisin and Chinese date-studded bread has a subtle earthy flavours of dark rye, and mild sweetness of Chinese red dates and sultanas. It's a great combination with butter and tea in the morning or for the afternoon snack with a glass of milk.
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- Combine together wholegrain rye flour and 120 ml water in a small pot until the mixture is well blended and lump free. Cook the mixture over the medium heat, frequently stirring, until it has turned into a thick paste and the thermometer reads about 65C/150F. It takes about 2-3 minutes. Cool the mixture to the room temperature and cover with a plastic wrap while you prepare other ingredients.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, place in the bread flour, wholewheat flour, rye flour, brown sugar, and salt. Make a well in the center, add in water, 20 grams walnut oil and crumbled fresh yeast. Mix on slow speed until combined. Increase the speed to medium and knead until the dough is smooth.
- Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Sprinkle with chopped red dates and sultanas and knead with your hands until they are just incorporated. Grease the mixing bowl lightly with the rest of walnut oil. Place the dough in the bowl, cover the bowl, and allow it to rise until doubled in size.
- Dust an 8-inch round proofing basket with rye flour and set aside. Turn the dough out onto work surface, kneading briefly, and shape into a round. Place the dough, seam side up, into the floured basket. Cover with a towel and let dough rise again until it reaches the top of the basket.
- Preheat the oven to 190C/375F. Turn the proofed bread onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Use a very sharp knife to cut a decorative pattern on the top of the boule. Bake the bread in the center of hot oven for 35 minutes until nicely golden brown.
88 comments:
A beautiful bread! It looks so tasty.
Cheers,
Rosa
Are sultanas raisins? Also, what could be substitued for the Chinese red dates? Would apprecite a reply at scrout1944@msn.com. If I could motivate myself to make bread, this might well be the bread i wuld make.
Yum. Dark rye is one of my favorites and I'm sure the sultanas and dates would only make it better.
Sam
What a lovely loaf! I love the swirls on the crust and sure looks delicious!
I love the look of those red dates...and the bread is so beautiful rustic-looking. Fantastic!
Looking at all the different breads you've been baking, I couldn't help but start posting bread recipes. Actually I just posted one and there are three more to come. One of the bread recipes you've posted joined my family's list of favorite breads. I'll let you know as soon as I have that post ready. Hope you like the surprise, and thank you for the wonderful posts :)
A beautiful bread. Wish I had the ingredients to make it. I didn't know that there are Chinese dates. I thought that they grew only in the Middle East.
Your breads are really tempting !! Awesome flavors and you make it sound simple !!
OOO what a way to use dates!! Love it!
You are indeed an expert bread baker, Angie. It is gorgeous, indeed. I've never heard of Chinese red dates—are they similar to ordinary dates?
What a nice idea adding Chinese date to the bread! I have been reading a recipe making an Italian bread with the circular pattern on top like yours and not sure how to do it. So the trick is to let rise in a bowl with the ring pattern! Thanks, Angie!
Gorgeous looking bread,looks perfect,I never heared chinese date,but i'm sure one of great ingredients for this bread :)
Ridwan
This is just the type of bread I like for breakfast! It's gorgeous!
Your bread looks so perfect and tasty. I love those little Chinese dates - I bet they are delicious in the bread!
Your bread looks so perfect and tasty. I love those little Chinese dates - I bet they are delicious in the bread!
This bread loos amazing! I am sure it it wonderful toasted and slathered with a bit of good butter. Yum!
Your rye bread is truly amazing, Angie...love the dates, and the raisins in the bread, and the shaped is amazing with a lovely design! Totally droolworthy, and so healthy:DDD
I've never had Chinese dates, but I would love to try them in such a delicious looking bread.
I love this gorgeous bread.
Angie, you're always good at bread and this looks so good and healthy.
beatifull bread looks so tasty
Really gorgeous bread! Those dates sound delicious, and look really hearty:-) Beautiful, Hugs, Terra
Wow thats a great idea, the swirly bowl. Lovely bread oh how I would like to eat it now!
Beautiful bread, as always, Angie! Like the interesting addition of Chinese red dates!
This bread looks amazing and I'm beyond thrilled to see that you have a banneton. I've been wanting one forever!
That's gorgeous bread, Angie. I've never tried nor tasted chinese dates in bread before. I've tried with kei chi (wolfberries) and dried longan from an artisan bakery. Good combination. I'm imagining this is just as good .... this sure looks much nicer!
oh my! I love this healhty bread, by adding the chinese red dates in this bread really change the taste of how bread should taste. I know I'm going to love it!
This bread looks beautiful - soft and fluffy and bursting with flavours!
Yum!!!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Chinese red dates used in baking is something new to me, looks good!
You make absolutely the BEST breads, Angie. This one looks fabulous!
Angie, I love the idea of this bread - scrumptious.
:-) Mandy
This bread looks absolutely incredible! The dates and raisins sound so delicious...what great flavors.
I'm sure this was yet another amazing loaf of bread!! It's beautiful!
This bread looks delicious. I have seen those bread baskets and am debating whether to buy one...
Another bread that stops me in my tracks! Lovely recipe, Angie, and a beautiful photos to match. Thank you for sharing!
Wow....bread looks absolutely delicious...it looks so beautiful ...bookmarked !
Http://onlyfishrecipes.blogspot.com/
This looks phenomenal!! We get Chinese red dates here in Israel and they call them jujubes.
What a gorgeous loaf of bread! I love that it looks so rustic. I'm sure the flavor is terrific.
I love dates and these Chinese red ones are new to me-I definitely will be on the lookout for those. Not sure why I have never seen them. Your bread does look amazing-outside as well as inside. You do have some talent when it comes to bread-well done!
So beautiful and I bet so yummy!Have a lovely week!
That is one GORGEOUS cob! I have never met chinese dates before but going by your bejewelled bread it must be wonderful. I LOVE rye bread and yours is just wonderful - all your breads are ANGIE :)
chow :) Devaki @ weavethousandflavors
I don't know sultanas at all. I do love the combination of flours in this. You have one of the prettiest blogs - love your baking and aspire to your level of expertise.
This is a perfect bread for my Dad - he looooves raisins and dates! Thank you, Angie!
Your bread really is a thing of beauty -- I love those add-ins!
Another great looking bread recipe! The Chinese dates and sultanas are a nice addition.
Your bread always looks like a work of art and delicious , too ! hahaha Love the addition of Chinese red dates :)
My favorite bread is one made with rye...This seems like a really good, exothic bread!
I have absolutely loved every bread I've ever tried of yours. Thanks for another keeper! Miriam@Meatless Meals For Meat Eaters
Such a beautiful bread with luscious ingredients. Was it difficult to make?
interesting! i wonder what its taste like hope its not that hard making it.
btw its a soft bread right? :)
@StephenC yes, sultanas are seedless raisins.
You can use sultanas instead of dates here. Dried cranberries would be lovely too.
rye bread is so sturdy and hearty, and your rustic loaf appears no different. i love the goodies in it--what a neat combination of fruits!
Angie, you always manage to impress me with your bread making skills. Ohh...how I wish I'd adventure out a little more into this category ;o)
Have a wonderful week,
Claudia
I am so intrigued by this loaf! I wonder if my Chinese coworker can get me some of those dates. I really want to try this!
Another magnificent loaf of bread from Angie - that's not surprise! I love the fun ingredients and the outcome is just marvelous looking. Keep making magic!
In Greece we make a type of semisweet bread with raisins called stafidopsomo. You can find it in my blog. Your bread looks awesome and the sultanas and dates makes it even more interesting! Beautifully shaped bread!
Another wonderful, beautiful, lovely bread Angie! I bet it tastes wonderful. You need to open a restaurant or something!
The chinese dates are stunning, lovely bread.
I am so intrigued by the addition of the Chinese red dates! This bread must be lightly sweet along with that inimitable rye flavor. It sounds delicious.
What a gourmet-ish bread! Almost too beautiful to eat :)
The bread looks awesome Angie! Great job!
awesome bread of yours i really envy your work, promise :)
What a great bread. I love Chinese red dates and I'm sure they would give a beautiful flavour to the bread.
that looks so delicious!
Such a filling and healthy bake..would love to have it for my breakfast daily!
Oh nice! I wouldn't have thought of putting Chinese dates into bread!
Waw, Angie! What a truly appetizing, festive & grand bread de luxe!
It looks so appetizing & apart too! :) Yum!
Awesome recipe,bread looks so tempting.
that's a beatiful loaf! hope to try making rye bread one day!
@Kirby Yes, still quite soft with a slightly chewy crust.
Ohh this is quite unique! I know my mum uses Chinese Red dates in soups but I didn't know you can bake with them :) YUM!
I never realised there was something called Chinese red dates, good to know and hopefully I will see it around to I can try
Angie: I LOVE the rusticness of this beautiful bread. Where ever do you find Chinese red dates? Would like to give those a try sometime. Is that something you think I'd find in certain section of our U.S. markets?
Yay! Chinese dates! I only ever buy any when I go to China but I bring loads back and we always have it boiled with the lovely sweet soup. I really like the idea of it in the bread too, a lovely combination of the Eastern dates and the Western bread :)
Bread looks perfect, so rustic! Just the way I like it :).
I always loves this kind of bread, chewy and healthy of coz!
Tq for sharing angie, hope I can fine the chinese red date to make it :)
bookmark this! ;)
@Cristina Got them from an Asian store. They definitely can be found in Chinese stores in the states.
What an incredibly beautiful loaf! I love the rustic look, and I need to find those dates...so delicious!
Yum yum yum. And thanks for the tip above about finding the dates... will check it out next time when I'm at the chinese grocery store :D
Amanda
This is incredible! I have to find red dattes now, because I want to make it!
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