| We love moist, fruity quick breads--and this is one | | | | butter.3. Dice the apricots into 1/4-inch pieces and |
| of our favorites. It's nutty, flavorful, and full of | | | | add them to the hot water.4. Grate the outer |
| wholesome ingredients. We would like to share | | | | skin from an orange until you have a tablespoon |
| this recipe with you and demonstrate the baking | | | | full. You only want to get the orange peel without |
| principles for wonderful quick breads.The definition | | | | scraping deep enough to get the pithy white |
| of quick breads is imprecise. Often cookbooks | | | | second layer, which is bitter. Add this zest to the |
| classify muffins, coffeecakes, and biscuits as quick | | | | hot water mixture.5. Squeeze the juice from two |
| breads--not just those moist loaf breads made | | | | oranges. Add 3/4-cup of the juice to the liquid |
| without yeast--breads like banana nut bread and | | | | mixture.6. Stir in one large egg. Use a fork to mix |
| date nut bread. And there is a thin line between | | | | the egg well.In another bowl, mix the dry |
| quick breads and cakes. Quick breads contain less | | | | ingredients together:1/2 cup sugar |
| sugar and fat than cakes. They usually, but not | | | | 1/2 teaspoon salt |
| always, contain fruits or nuts to add flavor and | | | | 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour |
| moisture and make up for the low percentage of | | | | 1 1/2 cups oatmeal |
| fat and sugar. When we refer to quick breads, | | | | 1/2 tablespoon baking soda |
| we're talking about loaf-shaped breads without | | | | 1/2 tablespoon baking powder |
| yeast.There are two major makeup methods for | | | | 3/4 cup walnutsMake sure that they are |
| quick breads--the muffin method and the | | | | thoroughly mixed. We like to use a large whisk.7. |
| creaming method. In the creaming method, we | | | | Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. |
| cream the fat (butter or shortening) with the | | | | Stir with a large spatula until just combined. If it is |
| sugar until light and then add the other ingredients. | | | | mixed too much, the action will develop the gluten |
| In the muffin method, we mix the liquids and the | | | | in the flour and the bread will not be as tender as |
| dry ingredients separately and then stir them | | | | it should be. (We don't like to make muffins and |
| together until just combined. Today, we will look | | | | quick breads with our electric mixer.)8. Scrape the |
| at the muffin method.In preparation, grease an 81 | | | | batter into the prepared pan and place it in the |
| 2-by 41/2-inch loaf pan. Dust the pan lightly with | | | | oven. Bake the bread for 40 to 45 minutes or |
| flour by placing a spoonful in the greased pan and | | | | until the bread tests done. When it is done, a |
| jostling it about by tapping the pan against the | | | | skewer or large toothpick inserted into the center |
| heel of your hand. Preheat the oven to 350 | | | | of the loaf should come out clean.9. Let the bread |
| degrees with the rack placed in the center of the | | | | cool in the pan on a wire rack for five minutes. |
| oven. Your pan should have an even coating as | | | | Invert the pan and remove the loaf to finish |
| shown.Here are the ingredients that we will use in | | | | cooling on the wire rack. If the bread does not |
| our liquid mix:3/4 cups very hot water | | | | come free easily, the top edges of the loaf are |
| 3 tablespoons butter | | | | probably bound to the pan. Try lifting the edges |
| 3/4 cup (5 ounces) diced dried apricots | | | | away from the pan with a sharp knife.Store the |
| 1 tablespoon orange zest | | | | bread in the refrigerator where it will keep for up |
| 3/4 cup orange juice | | | | to a week. This bread, like most quick breads, is |
| 1 large egg1. Heat the water until very hot, | | | | much better served the next day. The bread can |
| nearly boiling. You can do so in the microwave. | | | | also be frozen.Peach Variation. This bread is just |
| Pour the water into a large bowl. The bowl should | | | | as good with dried peaches instead of apricots.For |
| be large enough to mix the batter in.2. Add the | | | | more articles like this visit The Bakers' Library. |