The Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book Part 18

The traditional method for mixing quick breads is to stir the dry ingredients together, and, in a separate bowl, the wet ingredients. The two are combined with a minimum of mixing, then put in the baking pan and into the hot oven quickly. The speed is intended to insure that the bread loses as little gas as possible before the oven heat can set the dough. Even if you are using double-acting baking powder (which gives you more leeway because part of its reaction begins only in the heat of the oven), this is still a very good method, albeit a little tense if anyone gets in your way, or the phone rings at the crucial moment.

An aside to mothers, fathers, aunts and uncles: Mixing quick breads is not so difficult that you can't involve children in the process. From our experience, making raisin-nut bread or blueberry m.u.f.fins is quite as much fun as mixing cake or cookies, and more healthful to the family as well. Something that can surprise us "olders" is that oftentimes children are even prouder to contribute an integral part to the family meal than to supply just the dessert.

Baking & Serving A moderate oven temperature, about 350F, is good for most loaves, with a slightly higher heat, 375425F, for m.u.f.fins and unsweet cornbreads. The oven should be preheated thoroughly before the bread goes in.

Our recipes call for whole grain flours and a minimum of chemical leavenings and eggs, so they rise less puffily than do standard types. In order to produce nicely shaped m.u.f.fins and loaves, fill the pans about three-fourths full, sometimes even fuller. For loaves, we have sized our recipes to fill a medium 8x4 pan. Our m.u.f.fin recipes make 12 ordinary small m.u.f.fins, each dip in the tin holding a little over cup. For the larger size m.u.f.fin tins-they hold nearly cup each-double the recipe to make a full dozen.

Baking times are given with each recipe, but they will vary with the temperature of the ingredients and the peculiarities of your own oven. In general, allow about an hour for loaves and about 18 minutes for m.u.f.fins.

If your loaves burn on the crust before they are done in the center, try using shiny metal loaf pans and/or place one pan inside the other as a practical remedy. If you are short on loaf pans, putting your loaf in its pan on a cookie sheet can help, too.

When done, a quick bread will have an inviting aroma and will shrink away from the edge of the pan a little bit. To check, insert a toothpick or clean sharp knife in the middle of the bread; if it's done, the blade will come out clean.

Let m.u.f.fins cool briefly in their tins; remove them either one by one with a fork, or simply turn the tin upside down over a towel, giving it a firm but gentle tap if the m.u.f.fins don't all tumble out. (If you ran out of batter before all the cups were full and put water in the empty cup to keep the grease from burning, don't forget to sponge out the remaining water before you turn the tin upside down.) Recipes for Loaves Poppy Loaf - cup raisins - 2 cups coa.r.s.e oat flour - cup whole wheat bread flour - 2 teaspoons baking powder - teaspoon salt - teaspoon mace or nutmeg - 2 eggs - 2 tablespoons oil (or b.u.t.ter) - 2 to 4 tablespoons honey OR OR - cup date sugar - 1 cup milk - 2 tablespoons poppy seeds - 2 teaspoons lemon peel Oats and poppy seeds give this loaf a delicacy that harmonizes well with many dishes, from asparagus soup to zucchini Provencale. Makes super m.u.f.fins.

If you don't have oat flour on hand you can make it in your electric blender or food processor from rolled oats: blend to cups at a time to make the 2 cups; it will take a little less than 3 cups of old-fashioned rolled oats.

Either soak raisins 5 minutes in cup boiling water and whirl briefly in blender, or chop them coa.r.s.ely by hand and then soak them.

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease an 8 4 loaf pan. 4 loaf pan.

Put oat flour in bowl and sift in the other dry ingredients. Beat together eggs, oil, and honey or date sugar. Stir milk, raisins and water, poppy seeds, and lemon peel, and add the egg mixture.

Add dry to liquid ingredients, stirring just enough to mix well. Turn into pan, and sprinkle with more poppy seeds. Bake for about an hour.

Wheat Germ Loaf - cup light mola.s.ses OR OR - 2 tablespoons honey and 2 tablespoons blackstrap mola.s.ses - cup oil - 1 egg - 1 cups b.u.t.termilk or yogurt - 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour - cup whole wheat bread flour - teaspoon salt - 2 teaspoons baking powder - teaspoon baking soda - cup wheat germ - 1 tablespoon wheat germ This bread is not sweet but has a p.r.o.nounced wheat germ flavor, so it plays a good supporting role with soup or salad.

Preheat oven to 375F.

Beat sweetener and oil together with a fork. Beat in the egg and b.u.t.termilk. Sift flours, salt, baking powder, and soda together; stir in the wheat germ. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, avoiding both lumps and overbeating.

Fill a greased 8x4 loaf pan and sprinkle top with wheat germ. Bake for about an hour, but check after 40 minutes to see how it is doing.

FRESH APPLE OR PEAR BREAD.

Use b.u.t.ter for the oil measure. Use all honey for sweetener; if fruit is tart, adjust the honey measure. Cream honey and b.u.t.ter together, and add 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel. Follow the recipe as written, and when the batter is ready, fold in 1 cup grated fresh apple plus 1 teaspoon cinnamon; or add 1 cup grated fresh pear plus teaspoon ginger; and cup toasted chopped nuts, if you like. Either of these breads is good baked as a loaf, but maybe even nicer baked in an 8 11 pan, and cut into squares. 11 pan, and cut into squares.

The loaf version takes about an hour and a quarter to bake, the cake version, about 30 to 45 minutes.

Zucchini-Rice Bread - cup raisins, chopped - 1 cup hot water - 1 cup fresh brown rice flour - 1 cup whole wheat bread flour - 2 tablespoons powdered milk - 1 tablespoon baking powder - teaspoon salt - teaspoon powdered ginger - cup wheat bran - 3 tablespoons honey - 3 tablespoons oil or b.u.t.ter - 1 egg, lightly beaten - 1 teaspoon lemon peel - 1 cups grated zucchini - cup of the raisin water If you wish, you may subst.i.tute whole wheat pastry flour for the rice flour in this bread: the result will be a little more familiar-tasting, a little less interesting.

Preheat the oven to 375F. Grease an 8x4 loaf pan. Soak the raisins in the hot water. Sift the dry ingredients together, adding the bran after the sifting.

Cream the honey and b.u.t.ter, or stir the honey and oil together; add the egg and lemon peel.

Strain the raisins and measure the soaking water. Add or discard water as needed to make cup. Mix with the grated zucchini and raisins.

Stir the flour and the zucchini mixture alternately into the egg mixture. Spoon into the greased loaf pan and bake about an hour and ten minutes. This is a moist bread, and when it is done, the testing knife or fork will look a little wet, but it should not be gooey.

Kasha-Raisin Bread - 2 cups whole wheat flour - cup milk powder - 2 teaspoons baking powder - 1 teaspoon salt - 2 tablespoons oil - 3 tablespoons honey - 1 egg, separated - 1 cups warm water - 1 teaspoon grated undyed orange or lemon peel - cup chopped raisins - 1 cup toasted and cooked buckwheat groats This sweet, moist, and hefty loaf is terrific with cabbage or winter squash soup. Toast and cook the buckwheat groats before you begin so they'll have cooled somewhat before you use them.

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease an 8x4 loaf pan. Sift dry ingredients together. Beat oil, honey, and egg yolk; add water, peel, raisins, and buckwheat groats.

Beat egg white stiff.

Stir dry into liquid ingredients, then fold in the egg white.

Turn into the pan and bake about 45 minutes.

This One's for Adele - 1 cups whole wheat pastry flour - cup whole wheat bread flour - teaspoon salt - 2 tablespoons powdered milk - 1 tablespoon baking powder - cup wheat germ OR OR - 2 tablespoons wheat germ, - 2 tablespoons soy flour, and cup wheat bran - cup b.u.t.ter or oil - cup honey or light mola.s.ses - 1 egg, lightly beaten - 1 cups water Only slightly sweet-suitable for serving for lunch alongside tomato soup, with slices of cheese, or with fruit and yogurt, or anywhere a light/hearty bread is welcome. The recipe is dependable and tolerates a lot of variations, some of which follow.

Preheat oven to 375F. Grease an 8 4 loaf pan. 4 loaf pan.

Sift the dry ingredients together, except the wheat germ (and bran, if used) and stir them into the mixture.

If you are using b.u.t.ter, cream it with the honey; when they are light and fluffy, beat in the egg, and then add the dry ingredients alternately with the water, stirring just enough to mix. If you are using oil, stir it into the honey and then add the egg and water; add dry ingredients and mix.

Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, or until a clean knife or toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

DATE-NUT TEA LOAF.

Delicate in flavor, this recipe falls halfway between bread and the usual sort of desserty-rich date loaf. It is good just with Better-b.u.t.ter or with ricotta cheese, or beside a fruit salad. Next day it makes fine toast.

Add one tablespoon grated orange peel to the creamed b.u.t.ter and honey. When the batter is mixed, stir in cup chopped dates and cup chopped, toasted nuts.

CINNAMON-CURRANT BREAD.

Simple and sweet, nice enough for dessert; splendid sandwiching with nut b.u.t.ter or creamy mild cheese.

When you sift the flours, add 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Fold into the finished batter cup currants or chopped raisins. Depending on how you plan to use this bread, you may want to add more honey.

MINCE-SPICE LOAF.

Dark and moist, sweet and plenty festive for holiday fare-but not too heavy for other days. One of our best quick breads.

Follow This One's for Adele but use mola.s.ses for sweetener and b.u.t.ter for fat. When sifting the flours, add 1 teaspoon cinnamon, teaspoon allspice, and pinches of nutmeg and clove. For the water, subst.i.tute 1 cup apple juice plus cup orange juice, and add 1 teaspoon rum or brandy flavoring, or 2 teaspoons booze. When the batter is mixed, fold in cup raisins and 1 cup grated fresh apple. This one may take an extra 15 minutes in the oven.

Persimmon-Nut Bread - 3 tablespoons b.u.t.ter, at room temperature - cup honey - 1 egg - 1 cup persimmon pulp - 1 cups whole wheat pastry flour - cup whole wheat bread flour - 2 teaspoons baking powder - teaspoon baking soda - teaspoon ginger - teaspoon salt - pinch cloves - cup chopped walnuts or pecans Rich in flavor as well as festive in spirit, this bread makes an occasion of dessert, with or without homemade vanilla ice cream.

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease an 8x4 loaf pan or an equivalent-sized pan (6 cups) of a more festive shape so long as it is not too narrow or deep to bake well.

Cream the b.u.t.ter and honey. Beat in the egg and then mix in the persimmon pulp.

Sift the dry ingredients together. Stir in the nuts. Add them all at once to the liquid ingredients, stirring lightly just until well-mixed. Turn the batter into the pan, place it inside another similar pan or on a cookie sheet, and bake 45 to 50 minutes, until done.

Carrot-Prune Bread - cup honey - 3 tablespoons oil - teaspoon cinnamon - 1 cup water - 2 tablespoons lemon juice - 1 cups whole wheat pastry flour - cup whole wheat bread flour - 2 teaspoons baking powder - teaspoon salt - teaspoon baking soda - cup wheat germ - 1 cup grated carrots - cup chopped pitted prunes - cup chopped toasted nuts This sweet and flavorful bread makes good m.u.f.fins, too.

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease either an 8 4 loaf pan or a 12-cup m.u.f.fin tin. 4 loaf pan or a 12-cup m.u.f.fin tin.

Beat honey, oil and cinnamon with a fork. Stir in the water and lemon juice. Sift the dry ingredients together, adding the wheat germ at the end. Add dry to liquid ingredients, mixing just enough to combine them thoroughly, but no more. Fold in the carrots, prunes, and nuts.

Spoon the batter into loaf pan or m.u.f.fin tin. Bake 45 to 55 minutes for the loaf, about 20 for the m.u.f.fins.

APRICOT-PRUNE BREAD.

Soften cup dried apricots in 2 cups very hot water. Drain, saving 1 cup of the liquid to use for the water measure in the bread. Chop the apricots and use them instead of the carrots. Omit the cinnamon and the lemon juice.

APRICOT-NUT BREAD.

Make Apricot-Prune Bread but leave out the prunes.

Banana Bread - cup date sugar or cup honey - 3 tablespoons oil or b.u.t.ter - 1 teaspoon vanilla (optional) - teaspoon salt - 2 cups mashed ripe bananas - 2 tablespoons lemon juice - 1 cups whole wheat pastry flour - cup whole wheat bread flour - 2 teaspoons baking powder - teaspoon baking soda cup chopped dates or dried apricots - cup chopped, toasted walnuts, pecans, or filberts This sweet bread is at once moister and more flavorful than what we modestly think is an already excellent recipe in Laurel's Kitchen Laurel's Kitchen. Use ripe bananas, but not squishy half-fermented ones-the bread will be as good as the fruit.

The recipe is designed to use up a lot of bananas-about six-twice as many as most banana-bread recipes we know of. If you haven't got a surfeit of ripe bananas, you can subst.i.tute an egg or two for part of the banana measure. The bread will be a little lighter, a little subtler in flavor.

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease an 8 4 loaf pan. 4 loaf pan.

Use a fork to beat the sweetener and fat, vanilla and salt. Add the banana and lemon juice. Sift the flours and leavenings and mix the wet and dry ingredients. Fold in the dates and nuts, reserving about 3 tablespoons of the nuts to sprinkle on top of the loaf before baking.

Spoon into the loaf pan and bake as long as an hour and a half, until done. Depending on the bananas, this bread can be very sweet-sweet enough to stand in danger of burning on the outside before it is done; if possible, place the filled loaf pan inside a second pan to protect your crust.

If you want a pretty topping for this bread, brush it with oil or melted b.u.t.ter when done, and sprinkle with date sugar, then return to the oven for a couple of minutes.

APPLESAUCE BREAD.

Subst.i.tute untart applesauce for the bananas, and add 1 teaspoons cinnamon (and teaspoon cloves plus teaspoon nutmeg, if you like them). Use raisins instead of dates.

Orange-Cranberry Bread - cup cranberries, coa.r.s.ely chopped - cup raisins, chopped - 1 tablespoon grated undyed orange peel - 1 cups orange juice - cup honey - cup b.u.t.ter or oil - 1 cups whole wheat pastry flour - cup whole wheat bread flour - 2 teaspoons baking powder - teaspoon baking soda - teaspoon salt - cup wheat germ - cup lightly toasted chopped walnuts Seasonal, of course, and all the more special because of it, this tangy-sweet bread is unique, pretty, and delicious.

Preheat oven to 375F. Grease an 8 4 loaf pan. Combine in a saucepan cranberries, raisins, orange peel, juice, and honey. Bring to a boil, stir in the b.u.t.ter or oil, and remove from heat. Allow to cool while measuring and combining the other ingredients. 4 loaf pan. Combine in a saucepan cranberries, raisins, orange peel, juice, and honey. Bring to a boil, stir in the b.u.t.ter or oil, and remove from heat. Allow to cool while measuring and combining the other ingredients.

Sift the flours, leavenings, and salt, and stir in the wheat germ. When the liquid mixture has cooled to lukewarm, stir in the dry ingredients and fold in the nuts, reserving 3 tablespoons for the topping.

Spread the batter in a loaf pan. Sprinkle the nuts on top and press them down lightly with your hand or the back of a spoon.

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until done. Test with a clean knife or toothpick, but if you should pierce a cranberry, the testing device will come out wet, so try in more than one spot to be sure.

Let the loaf rest in its pan on a wire rack for ten minutes, and then turn it out on the rack to set for at least half an hour more before cutting. If you can wait longer-it really is worth it-the slices will be less likely to crumble.

Old-Fashioned Scones - 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour - 1 teaspoon baking soda*

- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar*

- teaspoon salt - 1 or 2 tablespoons brown sugar or honey - 2 tablespoons cold b.u.t.ter - 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons b.u.t.termilk at room temperature - cup currants These really are good. Since they take only about two minutes to mix up, be sure to start preheating the oven before you begin mixing. The oven should be up to temperature when the scones go in.

Preheat oven to 375F. Dust a cookie sheet with flour.

Sift flour, soda, cream of tartar, salt, and sugar (if you use honey instead, stir it thoroughly into the b.u.t.termilk). Grate the cold b.u.t.ter into the mixture and blend with a pastry cutter or with your fingertips until the mixture is like oatmeal flakes. Stir in the b.u.t.termilk and currants, and mix gently and quickly, until barely blended together. Immediately turn out onto the floured cookie sheet and pat into a circle about inch thick, 8 or 9 inches across. Cut the circle into wedges, 4 or 6 as you see fit, and place immediately in the hot oven Bake about 20 minutes. Serve at once.

PLAIN SCONES.

Increase the b.u.t.ter to 3 tablespoons and omit the sweetener and currants.

GRIDDLE SCONES.

If you prefer, you can bake either kind on a medium hot, ungreased griddle. Flour both sides of the scones, and turn when they are brown on the bottom. Adjust the heat so that the scone cooks through before it burns-that will take a little experimentation and the flour on the griddle will burn for sure. Just dust it off.

Quick Rye Breads These breads are as remarkable and as distinctive as corn-breads, though in a very different mode. They are not just poor relations of the yeasted ryes, either, but have a delicacy and warm flavor all their own.

Honey-Spiced Rye - cup honey - 1 cups water - 3 tablespoons oil - 2 teaspoons grated orange rind - teaspoon salt - 1 teaspoon cinnamon - pinch each cloves and anise seed - teaspoon each ginger and allspice - 2 tablespoons lemon juice - 1 cup whole wheat flour - 1 cups whole rye flour - 2 teaspoons baking powder - teaspoon baking soda - cup chopped toasted almonds Festive of flavor, with a spicy perfume, this bread is quite nice enough for giving (and eating) on any occasion, holiday or not.

For a longer-keeping, slightly heavier loaf, use all rye flour. Decrease the water to 1 cup and bake about 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease an 8 4 loaf pan. Combine the wet ingredients and the spices, beating them smooth with a fork. 4 loaf pan. Combine the wet ingredients and the spices, beating them smooth with a fork.