What's your favourite quick bread?

[MaryIsobel]

I make a couple of loaves of quick bread each week. My nephew likes it for a portable breakfast and my husband and I have a slice with tea in the afternoon. I've made banana bread, cinnamon swirl, apple, pear... Just looking for something different.

[Kerry Beal]

Buttermilk Quick Bread with variations 

 

Irish Tea Cake (Barmbrack)

 

Tea Loaf - from @Anna N's sister 

Tea Loaf

 

 

INGREDIENTS

1 mug mixed dried fruit

1 mug dark brown sugar

1 mug strong cold tea

2 mugs self raising flour

DIRECTIONS

Put fruit and sugar in a bowl and pour on the cool tea, mix till the sugar has dissolved, leave for a couple of hours , overnight is good, Put in the sifted flour and mix together. Place in a grease 2lb loaf tin with greaseproof paper in the bottom and place in a heated oven. Cook for 1 hour on gas mark 4/350 F. Always tastes better if left for a couple of days wrapped in greaseproof paper.

 

 

Teisen Lap (moist Cake) - there is recipe from a blog here somewhere - @sheepish I believe

 

 

[MaryIsobel]

Wow - thanks Kerry. So simple and I will think of Anna when I make it. Great way to use up bits and bobs of dried fruit.

[pastrygirl]

Pumpkin, though I would 100% use canned instead of processing my own.  This is a favorite from a local bakery.

https://www.latartinegourmande.com/2006/09/17/macrina-bakery-squash-harvest-loaf-pain-automnal-a-la-courge-de-la-boulangerie-macrina/

 

Pierre Herme's lemon cake - the original cookbook version calls for creme fraiche or heavy cream.  I think I used to omit the rum?

http://laurasgourmandises.blogspot.com/2014/06/the-perfect-lemon-cake-pierre-herme.html

 

Gingerbread.  Can also use other liquid instead of beer - like apple juice/cider or tea.

https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/gramercy-tavern-gingerbread-103087

[MaryIsobel]

Thank you. I do make pumpkin but usually in the fall (and definitely with canned pumpkin!) Gingerbread is a great idea that I hadn't thought of.

[FauxPas]

I make mango bread every now and then. I love mangoes but sometimes buy more than I can eat right away so I peel, cut up and freeze the extra ones. I have some in the freezer right now and was thinking I should either make chutney or a quick bread. Thrifty Foods had ataulfo mangoes for a really good price last week and maybe still does? I think they were $1.25 each. 

 

I don't have a favourite recipe as I don't make it that often. But I do like a mix of pureed and diced fruit. Either of these recipes would be a good starting point for me. 

 

https://www.garlicandzest.com/mango-bread-recipe/

 

https://whattocooktoday.com/easy-hawaiian-mango-bread.html

[RWood]

Date Bread. This is good, and I can’t remember if I tweaked the recipe. It had too much flour originally, and I think this is the right version.

 

DATE BREAD
INGREDIENTS	X1	X2	X3
DATES, CHOPPED	1 1/2 CUPS
BROWN SUGAR	8 OZ
SALT	1 1/2 TSPS
BOILING WATER	6 OZ
WHOLE EGGS	2 EA
VANILLA	1 TBS
AP FLOUR	10 OZ
BAKING POWDER	1 1/2 TSPS
BAKING SODA	1 1/2 TSPS
CHOPPED PECANS	3/4 CUP
MELTED BUTTER	3 OZ
YIELD: 1 LOAF. BAKE AT 325F.                                                                                                                     COMBINE DATES, BROWN SUGAR, SALT AND BOILING WATER.  ALLOW TO SOFTEN AND COOL SLIGHTLY.  WHISK IN EGGS AND VANILLA.  COMBINE DRY INGREDIENTS AND WHISK IN.  ADD PECANS, THEN FOLD IN BUTTER.

 

[MaryIsobel]

3 hours ago, FauxPas said:

I make mango bread every now and then. I love mangoes but sometimes buy more than I can eat right away so I peel, cut up and freeze the extra ones. I have some in the freezer right now and was thinking I should either make chutney or a quick bread. Thrifty Foods had ataulfo mangoes for a really good price last week and maybe still does? I think they were $1.25 each. 

 

I don't have a favourite recipe as I don't make it that often. But I do like a mix of pureed and diced fruit. Either of these recipes would be a good starting point for me. 

 

https://www.garlicandzest.com/mango-bread-recipe/

 

https://whattocooktoday.com/easy-hawaiian-mango-bread.html

Oh - mango is a good idea. I usually buy a case to make chutney when they are cheap but never thought of using them in quick bread. Puree is a good idea too. I often use 1/3 applesauce/2/3 oil but never thought to use other purees. Great idea, thanks.

[MaryIsobel]

3 hours ago, RWood said:

Date Bread. This is good, and I can’t remember if I tweaked the recipe. It had too much flour originally, and I think this is the right version.

 

DATE BREAD
INGREDIENTS	X1	X2	X3
DATES, CHOPPED	1 1/2 CUPS
BROWN SUGAR	8 OZ
SALT	1 1/2 TSPS
BOILING WATER	6 OZ
WHOLE EGGS	2 EA
VANILLA	1 TBS
AP FLOUR	10 OZ
BAKING POWDER	1 1/2 TSPS
BAKING SODA	1 1/2 TSPS
CHOPPED PECANS	3/4 CUP
MELTED BUTTER	3 OZ
YIELD: 1 LOAF. BAKE AT 325F.                                                                                                                     COMBINE DATES, BROWN SUGAR, SALT AND BOILING WATER.  ALLOW TO SOFTEN AND COOL SLIGHTLY.  WHISK IN EGGS AND VANILLA.  COMBINE DRY INGREDIENTS AND WHISK IN.  ADD PECANS, THEN FOLD IN BUTTER.

 

Another that I had forgotten about. My mom used to make date bread; smeared with cream cheese and cut into fingers. Will definitely make this, thanks.

[lindag]

Mine is KAF's recipe for American Irish Soda Bread.

[Katie Meadow]

1 hour ago, MaryIsobel said:

Another that I had forgotten about. My mom used to make date bread; smeared with cream cheese and cut into fingers. Will definitely make this, thanks.

Yes, date and nut bread with a swipe of cream cheese! I'm fond of the KA recipe; the dates get soaked in hot coffee.  Another current favorite is Yossy Arefi's Simple Sesame Cake, which I don't consider a cake, as it isn't terribly sweet and gets cooked in a loaf pan. Another favorite is Doris Greenspan's Poppy Seed Tea Cake, which is really a quick sweet bread, also baked in a loaf pan. All three of these are delicious toasted and buttered for breakfast. As you probably figured out from my lack of posts in the breakfast thread, most of my morning meals are toast. I only cook once a day. Not that anyone asked, but my least favorite sweet breads on Earth are banana bread and pumpkin bread. And by least favorite I mean really hate.

Edited March 26 by Katie Meadow (log)

[gulfporter]

I am not sure of definition of a quick bread.  But I made this last week and would make again.   We try to eat a lot of blueberries and the ones coming to market now from South America are quite good and often on sale.  

https://amandascookin.com/blueberry-breakfast-cake/

 

 

 

 

Edited March 27 by gulfporter
better link (log)

[Katie Meadow]

2 hours ago, gulfporter said:

I am not sure of definition of a quick bread.  But I made this last week and would make again.   We try to eat a lot of blueberries and the ones coming to market now from South America are quite good and often on sale.  

https://amandascookin.com/blueberry-breakfast-cake/

 

 

 

 

Looks yummy, but the recipe sounds more like a cross between a coffee cake and a crumble. I'm not really sure what defines a quick bread either. I know it doesn't involve yeast or rising time. I guess it can be sweet, like many loaf tea cakes and breads, or not sweet, as in some brown breads and soda breads.  Maybe someone has clearer parameters?

[MaryIsobel]

Well, when I say quick bread, I think of something baked in a loaf tin, without yeast. The breakfast cake does look good but might be messy to eat in a car or at a desk.

[weinoo]

Here's an interesting method from Jacques:

 

 

[OlyveOyl]

As much as I love JP, that bread gives a bad name to soda bread😂.  I realize he used milk and baking powder rather than baking soda and buttermilk, but soda bread should look like this.  I also used a pound of flour as he mentions, but 50g. are very coarse Odlums wheat flour.  I bake covered in a deep Corningware bowl. I happened to make this in the morning to finish off the rest of the gravlax.

[weinoo]

7 hours ago, OlyveOyl said:

I happened to make this in the morning to finish off the rest of the gravlax.

 

What's your recipe?

[OlyveOyl]

NYT Darina Allen (Ballymaloe) Irish Soda Bread..I substitute 50 g Odlums very coarse wheat flour for 50 g AP.  increase buttermilk by probably another quarter cup, because of the extra coarse flour.  But…a wet dough makes a better loaf, internal temperature should be 205-210*.  I bake in a Corningware Soufflé shaped dish, ( parchment) covered for probably 25 minutes, remove cover, let continue to brown, about 10 more minutes, if browning too much, replace cover. Wrap in a towel immediately and let cool before cutting. Interior temperature is critical or bread “ could” be gummy.

Edited March 29 by OlyveOyl (log)

[Maison Rustique]

I love this version of Irish Soda Bread. Mom made it for decades, I've made it for decades and I've shared it many times. Everyone loves it.

 

[dans]

We had Thanksgiving at my sisters one year. We brought the Cook's Illustrated Cranberry Nut Bread recipe with us.  We must have made about 6 loaves over a couple of days. It just flew off the plates.  My sister makes it on a regular basis these days.

 

Cranberry-Nut Bread
Cook's Illustrated, Published November 1, 1999.
Makes one 9-inch loaf

We prefer sweet, mild pecans in this bread, but walnuts can be substituted. Resist the urge to cut into the bread while it is hot out of the oven; the texture improves as it cools, making it easier to slice. To toast pecans, heat griddle over medium heat. Add pecans, chopped coarse; toast, shaking pan frequently, until nuts are fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes.

Ingredients:
    1/3 cup orange juice
    1 tablespoon grated orange zest from 1 large orange
    2/3 cup buttermilk
    6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing pan
    1 large egg , beaten lightly
    2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour  
    1 cup granulated sugar
    1 teaspoon table salt  
    1 teaspoon baking powder  
    1/4 teaspoon baking soda
    1 1/2 cups cranberries (about 6 ounces), chopped coarse
    ½  cup toasted pecans , chopped coarse

Instructions
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease bottom of 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Stir together orange juice, zest, buttermilk, butter, and egg in small bowl. Whisk together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in large bowl. Stir liquid ingredients into dry with rubber spatula until just moistened. Gently stir in cranberries and pecans. Do not over mix.

Scrape batter into loaf pan and spread with rubber spatula into corners of pan. Bake 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees; continue to bake until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean, about 45 minutes longer. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and cool at least 1 hour before serving.

[minas6907]

Personally I love scones. I have fond memories of working at one restaurant that had a Sunday tea service when I was a teenager, we would bake scones on the order for each table. I spent alot of time portioning the dough into logs for wrapping and freezing.

 

I've always enjoyed the scones from The Professional Pastry Chef.

 

12 oz dried fruit or other inclusions

28 oz flour

3 oz sugar

3 T baking powder

1 t salt

3 1/2 c heavy cream

4 oz honey

 

Combine the dry ingredients and wet separately, mix the wet into the dry only until it comes together. Turn onto a floured surface and shape into a slab. Cut into bars, and wrap individually, refrigerate or freeze.

 

The reason I like to seperate and wrap into bars is that it makes it really easy to freeze for long term storage. Then when I want some scones, or have guests, just thaw the night before under refrigeration and bake. Brush the tops with heavy cream or egg wash, and top with coarse sugar or strussel. I've always enjoyed this recipe because of how easy you can change it up. For a time I would store orange peels in the freezer as we ate oranges, then just candied them all, and toss those in. Chocolate chips are nice in these scones, but personally I always enjoyed classic blueberry.

[MaryIsobel]

3 hours ago, dans said:

We had Thanksgiving at my sisters one year. We brought the Cook's Illustrated Cranberry Nut Bread recipe with us.  We must have made about 6 loaves over a couple of days. It just flew off the plates.  My sister makes it on a regular basis these days.

 

Cranberry-Nut Bread
Cook's Illustrated, Published November 1, 1999.
Makes one 9-inch loaf

We prefer sweet, mild pecans in this bread, but walnuts can be substituted. Resist the urge to cut into the bread while it is hot out of the oven; the texture improves as it cools, making it easier to slice. To toast pecans, heat griddle over medium heat. Add pecans, chopped coarse; toast, shaking pan frequently, until nuts are fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes.

Ingredients:
    1/3 cup orange juice
    1 tablespoon grated orange zest from 1 large orange
    2/3 cup buttermilk
    6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing pan
    1 large egg , beaten lightly
    2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour  
    1 cup granulated sugar
    1 teaspoon table salt  
    1 teaspoon baking powder  
    1/4 teaspoon baking soda
    1 1/2 cups cranberries (about 6 ounces), chopped coarse
    ½  cup toasted pecans , chopped coarse

Instructions
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease bottom of 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Stir together orange juice, zest, buttermilk, butter, and egg in small bowl. Whisk together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in large bowl. Stir liquid ingredients into dry with rubber spatula until just moistened. Gently stir in cranberries and pecans. Do not over mix.

Scrape batter into loaf pan and spread with rubber spatula into corners of pan. Bake 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees; continue to bake until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean, about 45 minutes longer. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and cool at least 1 hour before serving.

Another that I had forgotten about. I made this a few times every fall years ago. We live in an area that produces cranberries and even has a Cranberry Festival in the fall.