Date Nut Bread

My breakfast .. a cup of hot masala tea and a slice of the dense date nut bread with cream cheese! This bread comes out nicely dense because of the oats and is very filling. For a lighter fluffier wheat bread, try the whole wheat bread!

Ingredients:

• 3 cups whole wheat flour (or more)
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tsp active yeast
• 1/2 cup honey/maple syrup
• 1 cup old fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup chopped dates
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup walnuts(optional)
• pinch of nutmeg

Directions

1. Cook oats in hot water 1/2 or 1 cup for 10 minutes.
2. Let them cool to a warm temperature.
3. Add in the yeast and honey and mix well.
4. Let stand for 5 minutes.
5. Add in the milk, salt,nutmeg  and all pupose flour and mix well.
6. Add in the wheat flour 1/2 cup at a time to knead into a soft dough.
7. Place dough in a well oiled and lightly covered container in a warm place for about an hour. I usually keep it in a warmed oven.
8. Once doubled, knead the dough a little. 
9. Add the dates and nuts, little at a time and continue kneading. Use flour if needed. I did not use walnuts coz i dont like them much.
10. Place the dough in a greased bread pan and let rise for half an hour.
11. Place a container of boiling water under the pan in the oven when rising.
12. Move the bread pan to the lower shelf of the oven before baking. I also place a baking tray under the pan to reduce direct heat at the bottom. Remove the pan of water before baking.
13. Bake the bread at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes.
14. The bread will be golden brown when done and the crust will look hard (but will actually be very soft and bouncy to touch)and of course you can always tell by the aroma!
15. Cool completely on rack before slicing.

This one is my current fav!