Experiments in the kitchen



I learned two things today.

1) That it is possible - and surprisingly easy - to invent a quick bread recipe
2) That it is difficult - surprisingly difficult - to take pictures of said quick bread.

But tonight felt like a very bread-y night. An evening of browsing real estate websites in search of the perfect digs in Halifax calls for some serious carb fuel; luckily, this bread came to rescue. 10 minutes of prep, 45 minutes of baking, and out comes a loaf of bread that has it all: a rustic, nutty texture from the pecans, whole wheat flour and oats, the smooth sweetness of maple syrup, and bursts of crunchy, tangy Granny Smith apple.

Apple pecan bread with oatmeal and maple syrup

Ingredients
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- scant 1/2 cup quick oats
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup margarine
- 1/4 cup maple syrup (Grade A)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup pecans, lightly toasted and chopped
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- pinch of salt

1. Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 9 inch bread pan.
2. In a medium sized bowl, mix together flour, oats, cinnamon, baking powder and salt.
3. Beat eggs, margarine and maple syrup together until smooth.
4. Add flour mixture and mix until well incorporated.
5. Fold in apples and pecans.
6. Spread into prepared baking pan and smooth over.
7. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until tested comes out clean.
8. Let cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes to let the loaf set. Slice and serve warm.

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