Description
A delicious and memory-filled sourdough bread featuring sweet dates and crunchy pecans, perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
- 150–200 g active sourdough starter (100% hydration)
- 500 g bread flour (up to 150 g whole wheat optional)
- 325–360 g warm water (adjust for dough feel)
- 200 g pitted and chopped dates (Medjool preferred)
- 120 g roughly chopped pecans (walnuts or almonds as substitutes)
- 10–12 g salt (sea or kosher)
- Optional: 1 tsp cinnamon or 1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
- Optional: 1 tbsp honey or molasses
- Optional: 20 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled (for a silkier crumb)
Instructions
- Prepare the dates and pecans: Chop the dates into bite-sized pieces and toss with flour. Toast pecans in a dry skillet for two minutes until fragrant; cool.
- Mix the dough: In a bowl, whisk the flour and salt, then add the sourdough starter and warm water. Mix until a shaggy dough forms.
- Autolyse for 30–45 minutes to hydrate the flour and begin gluten formation.
- Develop the dough: Perform stretch-and-folds every 30 minutes for 2 hours, adding dates and pecans gently during the second fold.
- Bulk fermentation: Let the dough rise for 3–5 hours or refrigerate overnight for a long ferment.
- Shape and proof: Shape the dough into a boule and proof for 2–4 hours or overnight in the fridge.
- Preheat the oven to 230°C (450°F) with a Dutch oven inside. Score the loaf and bake covered for 20 minutes, then uncover and reduce heat to 210°C (410°F) for another 20–30 minutes.
- Cool: Allow the bread to cool for at least two hours before slicing.
Notes
Use a kitchen scale for precise measurements. Avoid adding all dates and pecans at once to prevent mashing.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 300mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 34g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 3mg
Keywords: sourdough bread, date bread, pecan bread, homemade bread, baking recipes