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Ingredients
FOR THE STARTER:
175grye flour
200mldate syrup
110mlwarm water
½teaspooninstant yeast
FOR THE DOUGH
60gdates - chopped
170mlwater
½teaspoonbicarbonate of soda
150grye flour
50gstrong white bread flour
50gdark soft brown sugar
5gsalt
1tablespoondate syrup
25gpumpkin seeds
25gsesame seeds
75gdark chocolate - chopped into small chunks
a few extra seeds - for sprinkling
sunflower oil - for greasing
EQUIPMENT
8mini loaf tins
Instructions
Mix the starter ingredients together to form a paste. Cover and leave at room temperature for 3 to 4 hours until bubbles form and it looks lively. Leave somewhere cool for at least 24 hours.
To make the loaves, heat the dates with 70ml of the water and the bicarbonate of soda. Bring to the boil, then simmer for about 10 minutes to form a paste. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
In a large bowl, mix the flours, sugar and salt together. Add the date syrup, 50g of the starter, the date paste and the remaining 100ml of water. Mix well to incorporate all the ingredients and form a soft, sticky dough. Add the seeds and chopped chocolate, mixing thoroughly. Cover and leave to prove for 2 hours.
Grease eight mini loaf tins with a little sunflower oil and place on a baking tray. Put spoonfuls of the mixture into the prepared tins, filling almost to the top. Cover the tins with a clean plastic bag and leave to prove for 10 to 12 hours in the fridge; overnight is ideal. This slow prove produces a deep flavour.
Preheat your oven to 170°C/Gas 3 and place an empty roasting tray in the bottom to heat up. Pour hot water into the roasting tin – this will create steam and help the crust form on the loaves.
The dough should have risen to the top of the tins. Sprinkle the loaves with extra seeds, then place in the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. The loaves should be risen and cooked through – check by inserting a skewer. Cool on a wire rack.