A couple weeks ago I caught the holiday spirit and started making quick breads to give friends as gifts. I’d never really made them before and I was delighted to discover that they’re very easy to make. They make the home smell terrific and people love it when they eat them or receive them. In all, I cooked 12 loaves, of which only 3 half-loaves remain. (No, I didn’t eat all that myself, but I was tempted.)
This excellent All Recipes article covers the basics of quick breads. plus suggestions for many variations. I’m not an experienced baker, but here’s a few tips of my own:
- cream your sugar and butter very thoroughly first, then add all the other dry stuff, then eggs, then fruit (soaked or not) last;
- experiment with different combinations of ingredients; I’d made plain cranberry first, then a good friend suggested I try adding fresh ginger, finely chopped—worked great! I was intrigued by listening to him consider different other combinations;
- start checking your 350 º oven at 55 minutes, but know it usually takes at least 60 minutes; knife inserted in center should come away dry and edges will be almost free from side of pan when done;
- even if you’ve got non-stick pans, definitely put on a generous amount of spray cooking oil (this is a biggie);
- freeze some of the bread; you can slice and eat it right from freezer…doesn’t even need to be thawed.
I can so clearly remember my mom and sister baking quick breads. Smell is definitely hardwired to our memories, especially our fond ones. Now that I’ve discovered what fun it is to make, eat, and give away this miracle, I’m going to explore more quick breads. The Internet has untold numbers of recipes. Don’t be afraid to modify what you find. The breads pictured here are from recipes I found on the Internet and modified, sometimes with ideas of my own and my friends, sometimes lifted from other recipes online. One modification that worked much better than I thought it would is to make banana bread substituting brown sugar for white sugar. Absolutely transforms that recipe.
One of the things I discovered about quick breads online is that not all are sweet, like this one for peach quick bread; there are also savory quick breads! Check out this recipe for (drool…) feta and chive muffins (yes, quick breads may be made as muffins). Or this one, for cheddar and dill quick bread.
Writing this post I just uncovered an old olfactory memory from childhood: my mom baking gingerbread and topping it with a homemade almond extract flavored cream. Time to Google gingerbread!
Since I can’t give you a taste treat, here’s a little aural treat from me to you: a free selection from my pipe organ mp3 album on Amazon of one of the carol arrangements of mine published by Concordia, “Angels We Have Heard On High.” Hope you enjoy it. Just click on the rightward-pointing triangle in the icon below and it should play automatically. It’s free and there’s nothing to download.
IF PLAYER DOESN’T WORK, PLAY OR DOWNLOAD MP3 FOR FREE HERE
to play, left click; to download, right click on link and select “Save link as…” or “Save target as…”
This is a lower resolution mp3. If you’re interested in the highest resolution recording, that’s available on the Inkwatu store.
click on larger image for closeup
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Bill has already asked how many of these breads I intend to make. So I better get busy.
Marty
So far, the apricot is my favorite. I forgot to mention in my “tips” that I usually double the amount of fruit the recipe calls for.
I gotta wait until next Christmas to make any more so my diet can recover from all the carbs.