yeasted coconut date and banana health loaf

i like calling this bread a 'health' loaf..when i ate it i reckon i felt better after having one slice so i had another one all the while feeling the good health vibe infusing my cells..but then..maybe it was just the cups of tea i had with it..

my eldest daughter gave me the scrabble cloth many years ago and the mug was a recent gift from my son

yeasted coconut date and banana health loaf

tea with hazel

ingredients

150 gms white organic flour

50 gms biodynamic wholemeal flour

50 gms organic coconut flour*

50 gms desiccated coconut

2 large ripe bananas cut into large chunks

10 large medjool dates stones removed and cut into quarters

1 tablespoon (tbs) finely diced candied orange peel (i used my own)

1 tbs finely diced candied lemon peel (i used my own)

30 gms organic coconut butter

2 teaspoons (tsp) honey

1 tsp yeast

4 tbs active sourdough starter (optional)

2 tsp murray river salt (less if using conventional table salt)

filtered water

method

~ place flours, desiccated coconut, banana, peels, coconut butter, honey, yeast and starter in the bowl of a stand mixer and add enough filtered water* to make a shaggy dough

~ autolyse for 30 minutes, add salt, and mix for 30 seconds

~ mix again for 15-20 seconds and rest for 10 minutes

~ repeat mix rest cycle once more

~ remove bowl from stand mixer, cover with a dampened tea towel, and leave until doubled in volume

~ turn the dough out onto a lightly floured bench, divide in two, gently knead in dates, and then place each piece into a large oiled bread tin

~ cover the tin with tea towel and leave until well risen

~ bake with steam at 230 deg c for 20 minutes, reduce heat to 200 deg c, cover the tin with brown paper, and cook for a further 20 minutes or until well browned

~ cool the bread on a cake cooling rack 

note:

* coconut flour absorbs a lot of fluid so the dough requires more fluid than a bread made with conventional flours only

comments

~ the addition of coconut flour means that dough was not as elastic as per a conventional dough and so it was unkneadable

~ when i cut the loaf i was a bit worried that it was going to be rather leaden but the crumb was soft with an appealing denseness and the crust thick with a satisfyingly chewiness.it was ok the next day too

anyone for a game of scrabble with a cup of tea and a slice or two? just for your health of course!