Tropical Fruit and Nut Loaf
A hearty, naturally sweet fruit and nut loaf made with chickpeas, millet, and tropical fruits — delicious served warm or cold with coconut cream or carob sauce.
Yield: 28×22 cm (11×9 in) loaf pan | Prep: 20 min + soaking | Bake: 50 min | Total: ~1 hr 10 min + soaking
Ingredients
- 3 dl (1¼ cups) soaked chickpeas (or about 1 dl / ⅖ cup dry)
- 2 dl (¾ cup) millet
- 1 dl (⅖ cup) coconut flakes
- 10 dl (4 cups) water (4 dl / 1⅔ cups for soaking fruit + 6 dl / 2½ cups for batter)
- 340 g (12 oz) pineapple, peeled and diced
- 2.5 dl (1 cup) dried figs, chopped
- 2.5 dl (1 cup) dried apricots, chopped
- 1 dl (⅖ cup) almonds, coarsely crushed
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- Soak chickpeas: Soak the chickpeas overnight in plenty of water.
- Soak fruits: In a bowl, combine the diced pineapple, chopped dried figs, and chopped dried apricots with 4 dl (1⅔ cups) of water. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- Preheat oven: Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F) using top and bottom heat.
- Prepare ingredients:
- Rinse the soaked chickpeas and finely crush them in a food processor.
- Rub and rinse the millet thoroughly.
- Remove the soaked fruit from the refrigerator.
- Crush the almonds coarsely if not already done.
- Mix batter: In a large bowl, combine the chickpeas, millet, coconut flakes, soaked fruits with their soaking water, 6 dl (2½ cups) of additional water, cardamom, and salt. Mix well.
- Assemble: Pour the mixture into a 28×22 cm (11×9 in) ovenproof dish and sprinkle the crushed almonds evenly on top.
- Bake: Bake for about 50 minutes, or until firm and golden on top.
- Serve: Serve warm or chilled with carob sauce or coconut cream.
The loaf can be frozen for later use.
Tips & Variations
- The loaf is naturally sweetened by fruit and needs no added sweetener.