Apricot Almond Yeast Bread

Apricot Almond Yeast Bread

It's raining in Seattle. What to do. What to do...

Make bread!

I usually start this process by looking in my cupboard to see what I have on hand. Yesterday as I poked around the pantry I came across a large bag of dried apricots that I normally reserve for making granola. Hummmm...

Why not apricot bread with almonds?

The key ingredients: apricots and almonds

This recipe is inspired by a recipe from The Bread Lover's Bread Machine Cookbook. (By the way, if you do not have a copy of this book, I highly recommend it.)

This dough is slightly sweet, made with apple juice, honey, and apricots. Added almonds give it a nice crunch.

Adding honey

Here are the ingredients:

3/4 cup apple juice
1/4 buttermilk (or regular milk)
7 tbsp water
2 1/2 tbsp honey
2 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 1/3 cups bread flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2/3 cup rolled oats
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 tsp yeast
1/2 cup chopped almonds (for the dough)

2/3 cup dried apricots (added mid-knead)

1/2 cup of chopped almonds (for crust)

Preparation:

Using your electric mixer with a paddle attachment or your bread machine, combine the ingredients except the dried apricots – keeping in mind your machine’s instructions.

When your machine beeps, or when you are in between your first and second kneads, add the dried apricots. This delay keeps the apricots from getting too chopped up in the machine.

When kneading is done, let the dough rise for about 45 min. or until it has doubled in size.  (If you prefer hand kneading, see my note on hand kneading in my Best Ever Polenta Pumpkin Seed Bread Recipe.)

Once the dough has doubled, pour it out into a floured surface, and give it a good kneading - a couple minutes. Shape your dough into an oblong form and roll it in a bed of chopped almonds.  Place the almond-covered dough on your baking sheet.

Almond covered dough

Let the dough rise again until doubled in size.  (I use a damp cloth to cover the dough while it is rising.)

Baking:

Bake your loaf for about 20-25 minutes in an oven preheated to 415 Fahrenheit (about 210 C).  Your almond crust with be nice and toasty while the dough will be moist and chewy. Delicious!

Moist and sweet!

If you try one of my bread recipes, please let me know your results. Happy baking, friends!

Healthy Butternut Squash Bread

Healthy Butternut Squash Bread

I recently had some butternut squash left over from dinner. What to do? Why, put it in bread, of course!

I found my inspiration from MyBakingAddiction, a great site for all you obsessive bakers!

My own version has more fiber - whole wheat flour and ground flax seeds - and less sugar. That's the healthy part! Yet it's rich - due to buttermilk - and nutty - from walnuts and flax seeds. Add sweet and spicy - cranberries and cayenne - and WOW! It's delicious!

Sweet and nutty

Want to give it a try?

Ingredients:

3/4 cup butternut squash purée
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup water
1 cup raw sugar
1 cup all-purpose white flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
A dash of cayenne pepper
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1 tbsp coarsely ground flax seed
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour one 8.5 x 4.5 inch loaf pan.

In a large bowl, mix together the butternut squash puree, eggs, oil, buttermilk, water, and sugar.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flours, baking soda, salt, and spices. Add the flax seed, walnuts, and dried cranberries to the dry ingredients.

Stir the dry ingredients into the butternut squash mixture. Remember the rule about not over-mixing!

Look how rich this batter is!

Bake for about an hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.

What a wonderful crumb!

Thanks to MyBakingAddiction for the original recipe!