Favorite Quick Breads?

aguynamedrobert · May 10, 2007

Well I found myself(at 10:00 at night) deciding to make a big batch of scones and then I will give most away tomorrow morning...I am a big scone fan but was wondering.....

What is everyone's favorite quick bread for whatever time of day or meal?

Look forward to hearing everyone's favorites...

blurby · May 10, 2007

Well I found myself(at 10:00 at night) deciding to make a big batch of scones and then I will give most away tomorrow morning...I am a big scone fan but was wondering.....
What is everyone's favorite quick bread for whatever time of day or meal?
Look forward to hearing everyone's favorites...
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I have a recipe for a whole wheat beer bread that takes an hour from start to finish. It's 100% straight forward and I'm amazed how tasty it is. Killer toast also.

dockhl · May 10, 2007

I have a recipe for a whole wheat beer bread that takes an hour from start to finish. It's 100% straight forward and I'm amazed how tasty it is. Killer toast also.
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And it is WHERE ? :hmmm:

zoe b · May 10, 2007

yes, I'd like to try the beer bread, too!

Scones are a good quick recipe for when you need something sweet at 10:30 PM--also muffins--depending on whether I'm feeling healthy or decadent that night I make a whole grain, oatmeal raisin & molasses recipe or one of Dorie Greenspan's rich and delicious muffins.

Zoe

etalanian · May 10, 2007

My personal fave is cornbread made with some in-season freshly grated Jersey corn taken from the cob with the luscious milky juices. Mmmmm. Can't wait for corn season.

Emily_R · May 10, 2007

Oooh -- that reminds me... There is a fabulous cheddar-cheese beer bread recipe on the great blog Farmgirl Fare... It is drop dead easy and delish!!

http://foodiefarmgirl.blogspot.com/2005/11...beer-bread.html

Emily

plk · May 10, 2007

I love the cornbread from the Bread Baker's Apprentice. Polenta, buttermilk, honey, corn bits inside, BACON on top ... mmm. But for a quickbread, it's not exactly quick. You have to first soak the polenta in buttermilk overnight to soften it up.

merstar · May 10, 2007

My favorite is Cinnamon Swirl Bread.

CanadianBakin' · May 10, 2007

Popovers are a new favaourite. A cinch to make and warm from the oven they taste great with butter and jam.

aguynamedrobert · May 10, 2007

Um...cornbread...good choice!

What exactly is a popover?...I've never had one and can't recall what they are like.

srhcb · May 10, 2007

Um...cornbread...good choice!
What exactly is a popover?...I've never had one and can't recall what they are like.
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Although it's not a "true" popover, here's a quickbread version, since that's the subject of this thread.

SB (likes the King Arthur Flour "traditional" popover recipe :smile: )

duckduck · May 10, 2007

My fave lately has been the banana bread for Pam from Alford & Duguid's Home Baking. A quarter recipe makes 6 muffins. I've been making them every other week for breakfast. I haven't gotten tired of them yet. I just vary it once in awhile by leaving out the coconut. I'd love to try some beer bread. That sounds sooo good.

CanadianBakin' · May 11, 2007

Um...cornbread...good choice!
What exactly is a popover?...I've never had one and can't recall what they are like.
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Although it's not a "true" popover, here's a quickbread version, since that's the subject of this thread.
SB (likes the King Arthur Flour "traditional" popover recipe )
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I guess I don't make "traditional" popovers. Here's the recipe I use: http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/re...6_22925,00.html. It says blend well once adding the flour but my source says to leave it quite lumpy and they turn out great.

SB - What's a traditional popover? I tried to find a recipe on King Arthur to no avail.

srhcb · May 11, 2007

I guess I don't make "traditional" popovers. Here's the recipe I use: http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/re...6_22925,00.html. It says blend well once adding the flour but my source says to leave it quite lumpy and they turn out great.
SB - What's a traditional popover? I tried to find a recipe on King Arthur to no avail.
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I guess "traditional" was a poor word to choose. :wacko:

cyalexa · November 14, 2016

What makes quick breads get tall cracked domes? I made pumpkin breads using an ATK recipe I have used successfully in the past in my regular oven. This time I used the CSO convection setting. Part way through the bake I had to decrease the temp and cover the tops as they were getting too brown. Is the too quick browning related to the large cracked domes?

Lisa Shock · November 14, 2016

1 hour ago, cyalexa said:

What makes quick breads get tall cracked domes? I made pumpkin breads using an ATK recipe I have used successfully in the past in my regular oven. This time I used the CSO convection setting. Part way through the bake I had to decrease the temp and cover the tops as they were getting too brown. Is the too quick browning related to the large cracked domes?

You can get a better, more even dome by using a weaker flour, like cake flour instead of AP or a mixture of the two. AP flour varies in gluten content, there is no 'standard' for it. The AP sold in the Northern parts of the US tends to be higher gluten than the AP sold in the SE, which is closer to cake flour.

Make sure to rest your quick bread batter after it's poured, for about 5 minutes, just to ensure an even lift from the first step of dual-acting baking powder.

Try a slightly lower temperature. Like 25-50° lower. You get the jagged eruption mountain in the center when the edges of the batter have set and cooked before the center has fully lifted from the dual-action baking powder's second performance.

You can try increasing the amount of fat, as fat affects the gluten's ability to hold air bubbles. This is why newer, low fat -no fat recipes result in odd-looking loaves that your grandmother wouldn't recognize.

Ditch your baking powder: if it's more than 6 months old, buy some fresher baking powder.

As a last resort, try increasing the leavening. This is the most risky maneuver since too much leavening can give your quick bread a metallic, bitter taste.

**Smithy** · November 14, 2016

6 hours ago, Lisa Shock said:

You can try increasing the amount of fat, as fat affects the gluten's ability to hold air bubbles. This is why newer, low fat -no fat recipes result in odd-looking loaves that your grandmother wouldn't recognize.

Thank you for this: your succinct explanations are of the sort that stick in my mind. Just to be sure I have the right mental image: are you saying the fat *decreases* gluten's ability to hold air bubbles? That the low- or no-fat recipes will be flatter as a result?

cyalexa · November 14, 2016

@Lisa Shock Thanks for your reply, it was very helpful.

shain · November 14, 2016

13 hours ago, cyalexa said:

What makes quick breads get tall cracked domes? I made pumpkin breads using an ATK recipe I have used successfully in the past in my regular oven. This time I used the CSO convection setting. Part way through the bake I had to decrease the temp and cover the tops as they were getting too brown. Is the too quick browning related to the large cracked domes?

The fast browning and cracking are directly related and both are caused by the convection.
The loaf is baked inwards from the outside, and as it does and inner part is heated, it raises and expends, pushing the top upwards. As long the the top is not yet set, it can raise freely without cracking, but once set, any further expansion from inside, will force it to crack.
The convection causes air currents in the oven that causes the top of the cake to heat and dehydrate faster then they would in a regular oven, while the inside is less effected, therefore still expending while the top is set. And for the same reason, it is browning too fast.

A few options:

- Don't use convection (Best option, if your oven allows it).

- Cover the cake from the start, and remove later to brown the cake.

- Use a lower heat (20dC / 36dF) lower than in a regular oven.

Reducing the amount of baking powder will also help, but will affect the texture. And will not help to prevent browning.

Also, I personally don't believe it is necessary to throw old baking powder, as long is it was stored well, and not somewhere moist.

Lisa Shock · November 14, 2016

6 hours ago, Smithy said:

Thank you for this: your succinct explanations are of the sort that stick in my mind. Just to be sure I have the right mental image: are you saying the fat *decreases* gluten's ability to hold air bubbles? That the low- or no-fat recipes will be flatter as a result?

Fat makes gluten less able to hold air bubbles. Low-fat, no-fat recipes will rise more. Fattier recipes will be flatter and denser. This suggestion is a partial solution, if you cannot help but bake too hot and get the center rising after the edges and top have set, having more fat in the mix will lower the size of the mountain that rises up. It also evens out the look in breads with add-ins like dried fruit.

The fat lubricates gluten strands and they slip around rather than firming up and making big bubbles. A good example is brioche vs baguette recipes. The baguette gets lots of lift and is fat free -the finished product is very lightweight due to all the air bubbles. Brioche is denser, does not rise as much, and relies on egg(s) to help with structure. (the eggs tenderize and emulsify, too) overall, brioche will never be as airy as a baguette and a finished loaf of the same dimensions as a baguette will weigh more.

Cyberider · November 14, 2016

My favorite is mango bread. Seems to be a favorite of everyone I've given some to as well.

**andiesenji** · November 14, 2016

If I need a cake or quick bread to be as level as possible, I use the insulated Evenbake cake strips.

I have two sets so I can use them around rectangular baking pans, loaf pans, as well as round cake pans.

Many years ago, before these came on the market, I used brown craft paper, folded in multiple layers, soaked in water, wrapped around pans and fastened with large paper clips to insulate the SIDES of the pans. It works great but is a bid "fiddly" until you get the technique down pat.