Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (90 g/3 oz) self-raising flour
- 3/4 cup (90 g/3 oz) plain flour
- 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 1 teaspoon mixed spice
- 1 cup (125 g/4 oz) chopped walnuts
- 100 g (3 1/2 oz) unsalted butter, chopped
- 3/4 cup (140 g/4 1/2 oz) soft brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cups (280 g/9 oz) chopped pitted dates
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
Method
1. Preheat the oven to moderate 180°C (350°F/Gas 4). Lightly grease two 17 × 8 cm (7 × 3 inch) nut-roll tins and their lids. Sift the flours,soda and spice into a large bowl, then stir in the walnuts. Make a well in the centre.
2. Combine the butter, sugar, dates and 1/2 cup (125 ml/4 oz) water in a saucepan. Stir constantly over low heat until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly. Add the butter mixture and egg to the flour and stir well.
3. Spoon the mixture evenly into the prepared tins. Bake, with the tins upright on a baking tray, for 1 hour, or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the centre of the loaves. Leave in the tins, with the lids on, for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool. Serve in slices. Delicious buttered.
