Zucchini Bread with Dates and Hazelnuts

Ingredients

• 450
  
  grams all-purpose or spelt flour
  
• 2
  
  teaspoons baking powder
  
• 1/8
  
  teaspoon sea salt
  
• 1
  
  teaspoon cinnamon
  
• 1/3
  
  cup coconut (or other) sugar
  
• 3/4
  
  cup coconut oil
  
• 3
  
  large eggs
  
• 1
  
  cup dates, pitted
  
• 2
  
  cups grated zucchini
  
• 1
  
  teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
  
• 1/2
  
  cup roughly chopped hazelnuts, plus more for garnish
  
• 125
  
  milliliters crème fraîche
  
• 
  
  Juice and zest of 1 lemon, divided
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350° F (180° C).
2. In a big bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
3. In another bowl, whisk together the sugar and oil until well-combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking to combine.
4. In yet another bowl, use a wooden spoon mash the pitted dates into a paste. Combine the date paste with the egg mixture and mix until smooth.
5. Add the grated zucchini and vanilla paste.
6. Fold in the flour mixture and the hazelnuts and mix until just combined.
7. Grease a large loaf pan (see headnote) and pour the mixture into the pan. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
8. Let the bread cool completely.
9. Meanwhile, whip up the crème fraîche with about 1 tablespoon lemon juice until you reach the consistency of whipped cream.
10. When the courgette bread has cooled down, turn it out of the pan and cut thick slices. Serve with a dollop of lemon-y crème fraîche, some lemon zest, and some crushed hazelnuts.