Apple and Manuka Honey Spice Loaves
There are joys in every season and each with its own gifts. The first of the apples are ready on the trees and the one in this recipe is the wonderful tasting Gravenstein a heritage apple dating back to 1797 with its roots beginning in Denmark. Its sweet but a little tart which makes it a perfect eating and culinary apple. But it is prone to disease and because the little orchard is organic, I have to deal with imperfect apples which for some reason makes me very happy and it is no bother saving the good bits for baking or simply munching around the bad bits. It does take some convincing the grandchildren however and I haven’t won them over yet but the horses need absolutely no encouragement. These are lovely light loaves that burst with natural flavours of apples, dates, and honey. Enjoy and happy baking. X
INGREDIENTS
2 cups of chopped apples (approx. two average sized apples)
2 tsp mixed spice
1 tsp cinnamon
½ cup almonds blitzed into flour or straight almond flour
8 medjool dates halved lengthwise and chopped up
1.5 cups flour (I used organic unbleached)
2 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
½ cup light oil ( I used organic sunflower)
2 tablespoons Steens Manuka Honey
1 cup thick Greek yoghurt
¼ c milk
A few nuts/seeds of your choice (walnuts and activated buckwheat in this one)
1
Prepare the tins, by greasing the inside and lining with paper. This recipe uses 4 little mini loaf tins 15cm x 8cm with a depth of 5cm but a normal large 10 x 20cm would be fine.Pre heat the oven to 180˙C / 356˙F
2
Pop chopped apples in a bowl, cover with the mixed spice and cinnamon set aside.Prepare the blitzed almonds and set aside.
In a large bowl add the flour, baking powder, dates, almond flour and apples.
3
In a separate bowl beat the eggs, add the oil, manuka honey, yoghurt and milk, add to the flour and apple mix and fold gently until all is combined.Spoon evenly into the tins, add the nuts and seeds and press gently then pop in the oven for 20-25 mins. If using one large loaf tin increase the cooking time to a generous hour.
4
Poke in a skewer to check if cooked, if you can wait allow to cool a bit before removing from the tins but we all know how wonderful a warm piece of slice with a little butter melting drizzling down its sides is.
5
If you like things a little sweeter then slather with some more of that delicious honey! I used our multifloral 40+ MGO in this one, it helps that our beautiful little grandson is on the front but any honey from our range would be absolutely delicious and darn good!
P.S. If you don’t have a thick Greek yoghurt and use one that is more runny, you may want to reduce the amount of milk you add.
