Enjoy the comfort of baked goods without spending all day in the kitchen.
Even though spring’s warmth is around the corner, we still have some chilly, blustery days to weather. These days always put me in the mood to bake. One of my favorite baking treats are quick breads, and as the name implies, they do not take too much time to make. Unlike yeast breads that require rising time, quick breads are good to go using baking soda or baking powder to give them a lift.
Quick breads appeared on the scene at the end of the 18th century when the Arm and Hammer company introduced baking soda and baking powder to the American housewife. Both are chemical leavening agents that will react with an acid to produce carbon dioxide, and that’s what makes quick breads rise. Quick breads include—among other things— biscuits, muffins, pancakes, scones, soda bread and that perennial favorite, banana bread.
In addition to baking soda or baking powder for leavening, almost all quick breads contain flour, eggs, sugar, butter (or some other type of fat) and liquid, such as milk. Depending on what you are making, the technique for mixing the ingredients will vary. There is the two-bowl method, where all the dry ingredients are mixed in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another bowl. The two are gently combined because overmixing changes the texture from tender to tough.
This method is especially true for muffins. The second method is creaming, meaning that butter (or other fat) and sugar are combined until creamy looking, and then the remaining ingredients are added to the mixture.
For many of us, quick breads conjure up memories of growing up. I, for one, loved the thick slices of moist banana bread that were often packed into my lunch bag, or the cornbread studded with raisins or cranberries, and slathered with butter that often accompanied a pot roast, stew or soup. And as much as I love and make quick breads often, I am really partial to Boston brown bread, usually served with baked beans and scones dabbed with jam or clotted cream. With a cozy cup of tea, any quick bread can take me though until spring is here to stay. NHH
Cranberry Cornbread Serves 8
This super-fine textured cornbread is the result of grinding the cornmeal to a fine powder in a food processor. You can also make the recipe without this step, although the texture will be a little coarser. Either way, this cornbread is a favorite for teaming with a hearty soup or stew.
½ cup unsalted butter, softened, plus more for buttering the pan
2/3 cup sugar
2 large eggs at room temperature
1 cup buttermilk
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup fresh cranberries or
½ cup dried cranberries
1. Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square pan with foil and butter the foil. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, beat ½ cup of butter with the sugar until it is creamy. Beat in the eggs one at a time until well blended.
3. In a small bowl, combine the buttermilk and baking soda. Set aside.
4. Using a food processor, pulse to grind the cornmeal it until it is fine. Add the flour and salt, and pulse a few times.
5. Add half the cornmeal mixture to the bowl with the butter mixture and beat in. Add half the buttermilk mixture and blend in. Add the remaining cornmeal mixture and beat in. Add the remaining buttermilk mixture and blend in. Stir in the cranberries.
6. Pour the batter into the pan, and bake for 35-40 minutes until set and a cake tester comes out clean.
7. Remove the pan from the oven and cool. Serve the bread warm, cut into squares.
Recipe courtesy of Mary Ann Esposito
Brown Bread Makes 2 loaves
Brown bread made its appearance in New England in the early 1800s and is attributed to the ingenuity of the Pilgrims, who used wheat, rye and oats to make what was called “thirded bread” because of the use of these three grains. Today’s brown bread has many variations and is frequently served with baked beans and hot dogs.
1 cup raisins
1 cup cornmeal
1½ cups wheat flour
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2½ teaspoons baking soda
2 cups buttermilk
½ cup molasses
1 egg, lightly beaten with a fork
1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease or spray two 9-by-4-by-4-inch or two 11-by-4-by-2-inch loaf pans, or similar type baking pans.
2. Place the raisins in a medium bowl and cover with boiling water. Let the raisins soak for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, wheat flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk the baking soda into the buttermilk. Then stir in the molasses and egg.
5. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, mixing until just incorporated. Then fold in the raisins.
6. Divide and pour the batter into the loaf pans, filling them two-thirds full.
7. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean and the bread is nicely browned.
8. Remove the pans from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack. When the pans are cool enough to handle, remove the loaves and allow them to cool completely. Serve the bread warm with butter or cream cheese, or to accompany baked beans.
Recipe courtesy of Mary Ann Esposito
True Blue Blueberry Muffins Makes 6 large or 8 smaller muffins
Blueberry muffins are a family favorite, but only if they are topped with a crunchy, streusel topping that makes them extra elegant for breakfast or afternoon tea.
1½ cups all-purpose flour, plus 1 tablespoon
2/3 cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
Zest of 1 large lemon
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 large egg
1/3 cup half-and-half or light cream
1½ cups fresh blueberries
Streusel Topping
1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Line a muffin tin with muffin papers; if using large paper liners, you will need 6. For smaller tins, you’ll need 8.
2. In a bowl, mix 1½ cups of flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and zest.
3. In another bowl, whisk together the oil, egg, and half-and-half or cream. Add the oil and egg mixture to the flour mixture, and combine well.
4. In a small bowl, combine the blueberries with the remaining 1 tablespoon of flour and toss to coat them. Fold the blueberries into the flour mixture, being careful not to mash them.
5. Divide and transfer the dough to the prepared muffin tin. Sprinkle the Streusel Topping liberally over the top of the muffins.
6. Bake for 25 minutes until the muffins have puffed up and browned. A cake tester inserted in the center of the muffins should come out clean. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack.
Streusel Topping
½ cup coarse white sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons cold butter, cubed
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1. 1. Mix together all ingredients. Set aside.
Recipe courtesy of Mary Ann Esposito
Tutti Frutti Scones Makes 8
Rich tasting scones are my go-to for a Sunday morning breakfast with a piping hot pot of tea. For added flavor and texture, mix the dough with dried fruits and nuts.
2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour, plus more for flouring hands
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup sugar
4 tablespoons cold butter, cut into bits
¼ cup golden raisins or currants
½ cup dried apricots, cranberries, strawberries or blueberries
½ cup chopped walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans or almonds
1¼ cups of heavy cream
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons coarse, white sugar
1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
2. In a large bowl, mix together 2 cups of flour, the baking powder, the salt and ¼ cup of sugar.
Blend in 4 tablespoons of cold butter until the mixture is crumbly. Mix in the raisins, dried fruit and nuts. Add the cream, and mix just until the mixture comes together as a sticky ball of dough.
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and transfer the dough to the baking sheet.
With floured hands, pat the dough into a 10-inch round. Brush the top with the melted butter, then sprinkle evenly with the coarse, white sugar.
4. Score the top of the dough with a knife to create 8 equal wedges. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
5. Remove from the oven and separate the wedges. Serve warm with jam or butter.
Recipe courtesy of Mary Ann Esposito
By Mary Ann Esposito | Photography by John W. Hession