Chai Spice Bread with Ginger Icing

So. Eating healthy does not necessarily mean you cannot have anything sweet, because sweets can be healthy AND delicious (without that intense coconut oil taste, or without having a grainy texture). When winter comes along in Canada, this usually this means spicy desserts, hot chocolate, tea, coffee and anything that can give you that warm feeling.

Although Christmas celebrations aren’t my favourite, anything with chai spices (ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, etc) are good at any time of the year.

Inspired by Feasting on Fruit’s recipe, here is my version of Chai Spice Bread.

P.S. I absolutely loved using the dates infused with the chai tea and will definitely apply this to other breads I make in the future, thank you!

Ingredients

12 pitted medjool dates
1 cup prepared chai tea 
1/2 cup almond or chestnut flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup nondairy milk
2 tsps baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 cup of chopped almonds, pecans, chestnuts, etc. (Optional)

Chai Tea
1.5-2 cups water
2 Cinnamon sticks
2 inches fresh ginger
5 peppercorns
5-7 cardamom buds
8 cloves
1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1.5 tbsp black tea

Ginger Icing
1 tbsp butter
3/4 cup icing sugar
A few drops of vanilla
1 1/2 tsp ginger powder
1 tsp almond milk

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F/176C
2. To prepare your own chai tea, infuse the following ingredients together: fresh ginger, cardamom, cloves, peppercorn, cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, black tea. You can also add star anis, but I am not a fan and omitted it.
3. Pour the chai tea over the dates and soak for 10 minutes
4. Blend the chai tea, dates, lemon juice, non-dairy milk, and vanilla until smooth.
5. In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients and mix lightly.
6. Add the date mixture to the dry ingredients and combine.
7. Grease a bread pan or line it with parchment paper.
8. Pour the mixture into the pan.
9. Bake at 350F for 30-35minutes, or until a toothpick comes out dry.
10. Combine all the icing ingredients and adjust according to the desired taste and texture. Depending on the ginger powder you have, you might want to add less (if it has a very strong flavour) or more (if the powder you have is not very spicy)
11. Remove from the oven, let the bread cool about 15minutes and remove it from the pan.
12. Let the bread cool completely before adding the icing and the chopped almonds.

Enjoy!!