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November 2020: Honey Nut Date Rolls

Ashley Look

These Honey Nut Date Rolls baked in a Dutch Over are crunchy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. (PS-Ignore my dirty nails. I was carving a lot when I made these. Eek!)

My life after caregiving tales will continue as it’s only the end of November and I’ll be at sea until mid January. But fear not Full Moon Bakers! I have a club recipe for you to make this month that will compliment the upcoming holiday vibe. These Honey Nut Date Rolls provide that special hint of festive, bringing good spirits to everyone that gets a taste. They also offer you, the baker, a bit of a challenge by folding in ingredients into dough that’s already prepped. The significance of this step can’t be understated because the technique can elevate your baking for years to come. You can take the exact same recipe and substitute the dates and walnuts for other dried fruit, nuts, cheese, seeds, etc. It’s more of a formula than a recipe so feel free to experiment!

Ingredients

  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
  • 1 1/2 cups warm water
  • 2 TBSP honey
  • 1/2 cup pitted, chopped dates
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

Day 1 Prep:

  1. Place the flour in a large bowl with the salt and the yeast
  2. Next, combine the water and the honey together and then pour it into the bowl with the flour mixture.
  3. Mix the ingredients together until a stick dough ball forms.
  4. Cover and let rest for 8 hours or overnight.

Day 2 Prep:

  1. After the dough has risen, place the chopped dates and walnuts on top.
  2. With a wet hand, gently reach along the sides of the bowl and lift and fold the dough over the top, beginning to cover the dates and nuts with the dough.
  3. Turn the bowl a quarter turn and reach in again loosening the dough from the bowl edges and bringing up over the the nuts and dates.
  4. Do this two or three more times until the dough has been loosened from the bowl on all side and the dates and nuts are enclosed.
  5. Then, dump the dough out onto a floured surface.
  6. Gently begin to knead the dough adding more flour as necessary to keep it from sticking to your hands and counter.
  7. Continue to knead the dough helping distribute the dates and nuts thoughout, being careful not to over work them out of the dough.
  8. After kneading, cut the dough into 10 to 12 pieces and carefully shape them into little round balls.
  9. Place each dough ball in a pie pan that's covered with parchment paper and cover the top with plastic wrap.

Bake:

  1. Preheat a dutch oven in the oven to 450F degrees.
  2. When the oven reaches temperature, carefully remove the dutch oven and place the parchment paper with the rolls inside.
  3. Cover with the lid and return the dutch oven to the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
  4. After 20 minutes, remove the lid, lower the temperature to 415F degrees and continue baking for another 10 minutes.
  5. After baking, carefully remove the rolls from the dutch oven and let cool on a wire rack.
  6. While the rolls are still hot, brush the tops with butter or honey butter* (see tip below)and let it melt into the crust.

Fresh baked and buttered Honey Nut Date Rolls.

*Tip: These rolls are exceptionally good with the addition of honey butter. You can easily make some by mixing 2 TBSP of butter with 1 TSP of honey. Warm slightly it in the microwave or on the stove top, mix it together, and then brush the tops of you warm rolls and enjoy. Yum, yum, yum