Dates and pecan sourdough bread sounds delicious! It combines the tangy flavor of sourdough with the natural sweetness of dates and the nutty crunch of pecans.
Health benefits of Dates and Pecan
Even though dates are rich in natural sugar, there is misconception regarding the consumption of dates among patients with diabetes.
According to Hyder Osman Mirghani suggests that dates have a lowering effect on blood glucose. Dates reduce total cholesterol and triglyceride levels and increase high-density lipoprotein levels.
Dates also promote the abundance of beneficial gut microbiota. Therefore, patients with diabetes and dyslipidemia can consume dates to reduce their blood glucose, cholesterol, and triglycerides. Pecan consumption also lowered the risk of cardiometabolic disease as indicated by a composite score reflecting changes in clinically relevant markers.
Handful of whole pecans daily, can protect adults at risk for developing cardiovascular disease due to type 2 diabetes because their age, overweight status, and body fat distribution ( Nutrients, 10(3) )
Earlier, I have tried date loaf recipe on this site.
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How to make this dates and pecan sourdough bread?
You need following ingredients to make this dates and pecan sourdough bread.
- Bread flour : I used artisan bread flour; you can use any unbleached bread flour will work here.
- Spelt flour : Spelt flour adds nuttiness to the recipe and gives goodness of some whole grain too.
- Rye flour: Adds nutty taste and increase little fiber content of the recipe.
- Dates: You don’t need to soak dates for this recipe, just cut it into small pieces.
- Pecan : I have used non-roasted pecans; you can use roasted pecans if you want.
- Salt : Adds taste and controls the fermentation of the dough.
- Water : This is 75% hydration recipe
- See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions to make Dates and Pecan Sourdough Bread ?
In a large bowl add sourdough starter and water and then add bread flour, rye flour and spelt flour and set aside for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes add salt and set aside for another 30 minutes.
Stretch and fold the dough at 1 hour interval. For 3 hours.
- Step 1: Combine bread flour, rye flour and spelt flour
- Water
- Step 3: Add sourdough starter and salt
- Step 4: After adding salt and 2 stretch and fold laminate the dough and incoporate the chopped dates and pecans.
Then laminate the dough and add dates and pecan fold the dough like letter fold.
Then set aside for another 1 hour and shape the dough.
Refrigerate the dough overnight for 8 hours.
Next morning bake the dough
Enjoy.
Substitutions
Instead of pecans, you can use walnut, almonds or cashew nuts.
You can also add spices like cinnamon, cardamom or vanilla extract.
Variations
Instead of pecans you can use walnut in the recipe.
Any citrus zest, orange zest, lemon or lime zest will work in this recipe.
Storage
You can store this bread in a plastic bag or airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Be sure to remove as much air as possible from the container or bag to preserve freshness. For a long time, storage freeze the bread and thaw and reheat it.
This dates and pecan sourdough bread tastes great with a touch of butter. Especially the toasted version. This is not overly sweet bread. If you want to make it sweeter you can add some sugar.
Top Tip
Based on the strength of the starter and your kitchen temperature the time for bulk fermentation will vary. 50% rise of the dough is needed before proceeding to final proof or shaping of the dough.
If you add sugar, then you need to give extra time as liquid starter will take more time than a stiff sourdough starter.
You need to chop both dates and pecans to get uniform distribution
BAKER’S % FORMULA
| Ingredients | Bakers % |
| Artisan bread flour | 80 |
| Rye flour | 5 |
| Spelt flour | 15 |
| Salt | 2 |
| Water | 75 |
| Sourdough Starter | 20 |
| Dates | 14 |
| Pecans | 16 |
BAKING SCHEDULE
6.30 PM: Mix the flour (bread flour, rye flour and spelt flour ), and water and set aside.
7.00 PM: Add sourdough starter and set aside.
7. 30 PM: Add salt and set aside.
8.00 PM: Stretch and fold the dough.
9.00 PM. Do a second stretch and fold the dough!
9..30 PM: Laminate the dough and incorporate dates and pecans
10.30 PM: Then shape dough and refrigerator overnight.
Next morning
7. 00 AM: Score and bake the bread.
FAQ
Do I need to soak the dates to make this dates and pecan sourdough bread?
No you don't need too.
Related
Looking for more dates recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite sourdough recipes you can try it out.
Dates and Pecan Sourdough Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 ⅓ cups 400g Bread flour
- ½ cup 75g Spelt flour
- ¼ cup 25g Rye flour
- ½ cup 100g Sourdough Starter
- 1 ¾ teaspoon 10g salt
- 70 g dates about 12 pitted dates (Chopped)
- ⅔ cup 80g pecans Chopped
- 1 ½ cup 380g water
Instructions
- First make active sourdough starter
- Make Dough
- In a bowl, add bread flour , spelt and rye flour and add the rest of water and mix well and autolyze 30 minutes.
- Then Incorporate the sourdough starter with flour.
- Mix starter with the flour mix and mix with hand. Knead for 1-2 minutes until well combined. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes to one hour.
- Then after 30 minutes add salt. Mix well and cover the dough again and set aside.
- Stretch and fold.
- Then stretch and fold the dough every 1 hour for 2 hours. This means grabbing the underside of the dough and stretching it up and over the rest of the dough. Perform a few of these turns each time you handle the dough.
- Laminate the dough.
- Incorporate chopped dates and pecans during the lamination of the dough.
- Shaping the dough
- After one hour , transfer the dough to a lightly floured workspace and shape it into round Boule. Fold the third of the dough closest to you inward, and then stretch the dough out to the sides. Fold the right, and then the left side toward the center. Fold the top of the dough inward, and then wrap the bottom part of the dough over it all. If you want, you can make pre-shape and set aside for 15 minutes and then make a final shape.
- Work this into a round shape, and place seam side up in a proofing basket lined well with flour.
- Cold proof
- After transferring to Banneton, Let rise the dough overnight in the refrigerator. You can keep this cold retard up to 14 hours.
- Score and Bake
- When you are ready to bake preheat oven to 475°F.
- Remove the dough from the proofing basket and score and transfer to Dutch oven and close the lid and immediately place the top back on and return to the oven.
- Bake the bread at 475°F for 15 minutes.
- Turn the heat down to 450°F and cook for 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes remove the top of the Dutch oven and rotate the pan. Continue to bake the bread for another 15-20 minutes, until the crust is deeply caramelized.
- If you want crackling crust after switching off the oven keep oven door ajar and keep the bread inside.
- Once bread comes out of oven cool completely in the wire rack and cut it into slices and enjoy with some butter.
Video
Nutrition
This is Swathi ( Dr. Ambujom Saraswathy Ph.D) from Zesty South Indian Kitchen who loves to explore cuisines from all over the world. Whenever possible I try to to give an Indian touch to several of the world cuisine, and has weakness for freshly baked bread. All the recipes you see here are created by me and approved after taste-test by my family.
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