Date loaf

Babiche Martens

Dates and blue cheese are a match made in heaven. I love fresh dates stuffed with a soft blue cheese. Here, however, the blue cheese acts as a spread and is divine, and the hint of fresh ginger is a spicy surprise. This loaf is also delicious sliced and toasted.

Ingredients

350 g	Pitted dates, chopped roughly (Main)
25 g	Butter
1 cup	Brown sugar
2 cups	Water
2 Tbsp	Freshly grated ginger
2 cups	Self raising flour
4	Eggs, lightly whisked
100 g	Blue cheese, to serve (Main)

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 170C. Line a loaf tin with baking paper.
2. Place the dates, butter, brown sugar and water into a medium-sized saucepan. Bring to the boil for 2 minutes then turn off. Stir through the ginger then allow the mixture to cool.
3. Add the flour and eggs, mixing well. Pour the batter into your loaf tin and into the oven for 50 minutes. Cool in the tin before serving.
4. Slice to serve with either blue cheese or butter.

More of Angela's simple ideas for casual catch-ups

• Carrot and orange mousse
• Apricot marinated chicken legs