Spiced coffee, date and pomegranate loaf

Name: Spiced coffee, date and pomegranate loaf
Cook time: 1 h
Ingredients: 320ml freshly brewed black coffee; 1 orange, zest only, finely grated; 1 tsp cardamom seeds, freshly crushed; 2 tsp ground cinnamon; 2 tsp ground cloves; 125g brown sugar; 80g unsalted butter; 180g dates, pitted and roughly chopped; 180ml pomegranate molasses; 2 eggs; 120g walnuts, plus an extra handful to garnish; 3 tbsp sesame seeds; 230g fine wholemeal flour; 2 tsp baking powder; 

Karen Martini

July 9, 2013

Spiced coffee, date and pomegranate loaf.Marina Oliphant

easyTime:30 mins - 1 hour

This is my interpretation of Dan Lepard's Marrakesh Express loaf cake. It is dense and moist and loaded with spice, with a moreish sweet and sour accent from the pomegranate molasses - a slice with a strong black coffee is a perfect way to spice up a cold afternoon.

Ingredients

320ml freshly brewed black coffee
1 orange, zest only, finely grated
1 tsp cardamom seeds, freshly crushed
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground cloves
125g brown sugar
80g unsalted butter
180g dates, pitted and roughly chopped
180ml pomegranate molasses
2 eggs
120g walnuts, plus an extra handful to garnish
3 tbsp sesame seeds
230g fine wholemeal flour
2 tsp baking powder

Method

1. Line the base and sides of a 17-centimetre loaf tin (I use a deep tin; for a shallower tin, it might need to be 23 centimetres-25 centimetres long).
2. In a large saucepan, add the coffee, orange zest, spices, sugar, butter, dates and 100 millilitres of the pomegranate molasses. Bring to the boil, take off the heat and leave to cool.
3. Preheat the oven to 160 degrees fan-forced or 180 degrees conventional.
4. Beat the eggs until frothy, then mix into the cooled liquid. Stir in the walnuts and sesame seeds. Add the flour and baking powder and mix to combine, then pour into the prepared loaf tin. Sprinkle over the extra walnuts.
5. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer comes out almost clean.
6. Cool in the tin for 30 minutes, then turn out. Spike with a skewer about six times and slowly pour over the remaining pomegranate molasses. Store wrapped in cling film or in an airtight container.