This is an exceptional loaf – it is full of flavour, and remains light and soft-textured days after being made.
½ cup (125 ml) dried apricots, coarsely chopped
½ cup (125 ml) lukewarm purified water
½ cup (125 ml) orange juice
rind of 1 large orange
½ cup (125 ml) walnuts or almonds, chopped
4 tbsp (60 ml) honey or tapioca syrup
5 tbsp (75 ml) olive or macadamia nut oil
2 organic or free-range eggs, beaten
1 cup (250 ml) oat flour
½ cup (125 ml) chickpea flour
½ cup (125 ml) rice or barley flour
1 tsp (5 ml) bicarbonate of soda
2 tsp (10 ml) guar gum
½ tsp (2 ml) unrefined salt
1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 °C.
2. Place the apricots in a bowl, cover with the ½ cup of lukewarm water and leave to stand for 30 minutes. Drain the fruit, saving the liquid in a cup. Add more water to make up ½ a cup of liquid (125 ml). Place this liquid to one side.
3. Grease a small 23 x 13 cm loaf tin.
4. Place the soaked apricots, orange juice, rind and nuts in a bowl.
5. Stir honey, oil and eggs using a wooden spoon and add to the apricot mixture.
6. Sift the dry ingredients and add to the apricot mixture together with the ½ cup of the liquid that you have set aside. Stir until smooth.
7. Place in the greased loaf pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
8. Cool before removing from tin.
Variations
Gluten-free: replace the oat flour with stone-ground sorghum or buckwheat flour.
