Milk Chocolate, Date And Walnut Loaf

• 1 cup dates, pitted, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 200 g milk chocolate, chopped
• 125 g butter, softened
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
• 1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped

1. Place dates and water in a saucepan over low heat; cook for 5-10 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
2. Remove from heat;add the soda, stir and allow to cool.
3. Preheat oven to 180u0b0C.
4. Grease and line a loaf pan 10cm x21cm, 7 cm deep.
5. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over simmering water, stir with a metal spoon for 5 minutes, or until chocolate is melted; remove from heat and cool.
6. Using a mixer, cream butter, sugar and maple syrup until pale and creamy; add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each egg is added.
7. Stir in melted chocolate.
8. Sift flour over this chocolate mixture, then using a metal spoon, fold in until combined.
9. Fold in the dates and walnuts, then spoon into prepared pan.
10. Bake for 50 minutes or until cooked when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
11. Allow to stand in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out to a wire rack to cool.
12. Serve sliced (and buttered if you wish).

dates, water, bicarbonate of soda, milk chocolate, butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, eggs, flour, walnuts

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/milk-chocolate-date-and-walnut-loaf-114692 (may not work)