Almond Apricot Quick Bread Recipes

APRICOT BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Soak apricots in warm water for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a bowl, cream the sugar, butter and egg. Stir in orange juice. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; stir into creamed mixture just until combined. Drain apricots well; add to batter with nuts. Pour into a greased 9x5-in. loaf pan. Bake at 350° for 55 minutes or until bread tests done. Cool 10 minutes in pan before removing to a wire rack.

APRICOT AND ALMOND BREAD (GLUTEN, DAIRY AND EGG FREE)

Steps:

• BREADMAKER METHOD.
• Sift and combine the all the dry ingredients except egg replacer powder.
• In a separate bowl, whisk the egg replacer powder (or eggs) with about 1/2 a cup of the water, until frothy. Add remaining wet ingredients, withholding about 1/4 - 1/2 cup water, and combine.
• Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix together. Add extra water slowly, around 1 tablespoon at a time, until batter is the correct consistency - thicker than a cake batter, but not as thick as cookie dough. Spoon into the pan.
• Set the breadmaker to the setting recommended by the instructions specific to your model. If there are no such instructions try either the 'Basic' setting or the 'Rapid' setting. If your breadmaker is programmable, set it to skip the second kneading, as this is not necessary for GF breads. Another option, for breadmakers with a 'Bake Only' setting, is use the 'Dough' setting and then the 'Bake Only'.
• Add fruit and nuts when the "add-ins" beep sounds or at the very end of mixing.
• If your your breadmaker does a reasonable job of mixing, it is possible to add the wet ingredients to the pan and than add the combined dry ingredients (or vice-versa, depending on the model). If using this method, about 5 minutes into mixing you will need to check that all the flour has been mixed in thoroughly and, if not, scrape the sides and base and stir with a rubber spatula. At this time check the consistency and add extra water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if necessary. If the mixture is too wet, try adding a little extra flour.
• Again, add fruit and nuts when the "add-ins" beep sounds or at the very end of mixing.
• Remove the bread from the machine as soon as it is cooked and don't leave in the machine during the 'Keep Warm' cycle. Turn out from pan after a few minutes and cool on a wire rack.
• *If your breadmaker has a removable blade, you can also try this : Mix the batter until smooth, mix in fruit and nuts, remove the blade from the pan, place the dough in the pan and cook normally. This way you avoid the big hole in the bottom of the bread and also avoid the second kneading.
• HAND METHOD 1.
• Sift and combine the dry ingredients except egg replacer powder.
• In a separate bowl, whisk the egg replacer (or eggs) with about 1/2 a cup of the water until frothy. Add remaining wet ingredients (withholding a little water as explained above).
• Add wet ingredients to dry and mix slowly. When combined beat on high until batter is smooth, adding more water slowly if required.
• Add fruit and nuts at the very end of mixing.
• Spoon into a loaf pan. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm, draught free position to rise for about 1 hour. (If you can't find a warm position, a very low oven can be used.)
• Remove plastic wrap, and bake at 190°C (375°F) for 50-60 minutes. (A skewer placed into the centre of the bread should come out clean.) Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack.
• *If you find the bread is becoming too dark, you can loosely cover it with foil part-way into cooking.
• HAND METHOD 2.
• Dissolve 1 tablespoon of the sugar in 1/2 a cup of the luke warm water. Add the yeast and set aside to proof for 10 minutes.( The mixture should become frothy.)
• Sift and combine the dry ingredients except egg replacer powder.
• In a separate bowl, whisk the egg replacer (or eggs) with about 1/2 a cup of the water until frothy. Add remaining wet ingredients (withholding a little water as explained above). Add proofed yeast.
• Add wet ingredients to dry and mix slowly. When combined beat on high until batter is smooth, adding more water slowly if required.
• Add fruit and nuts at the very end of mixing.
• Spoon into a loaf pan. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm, draught free position to rise for about 1 hour. (If you can't find a warm position, a very low oven can be used.)
• Remove plastic wrap, and bake at 190°C (375°F) 50-60 minutes. (A skewer placed into the centre of the bread should come out clean.) Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack.
• *If you find the bread is becoming too brown, you can loosely cover with foil part-way into cooking.

APRICOT-ALMOND GIFT BREAD

Steps:

• Pan preparation:
• Butter the pan(s) or spray with butter-flavor nonstick vegetable spray and dust with flour. Tap out the excess flour.
• Make bread:
• Position rack in center of oven. Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, and wheat germ. If using a food processor, add the apricots and a generous tablespoon of the flour mixture to the bowl and pulse until the fruit is cut into small (¼-inch) bits. Or, cut up the apricots with oiled kitchen shears or an oiled knife. Scrape the apricot bits into the bowl with the flour. Chop the nuts and add them to the dry ingredients.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, egg, nectar or buttermilk, and extracts. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour in the oil-egg mixture. Whisk or stir just to blend well; don't over mix.
• Scrape the batter into the prepared pan(s), filling them about two-thirds full. Bake 60 to 65 minutes for a large loaf, 40 to 45 minutes for small loaves (or for the time indicated for your altitude in the chart below), or until the bread is golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan(s) on a wire rack.
• Make icing:
• To make the icing, whisk together the sugar and liquid in a small bowl until thick and smooth. When the bread is completely cooled, drizzle the icing over the top; it will harden as it dries.
• Cooks' Note
• Icing measurements stay the same at all elevations, but if you are baking the bread at high altitude, follow the adjustments below.
• If baking at 3,000 feet:
• Increase flour to 2 cups plus 1 tablespoon. Decrease baking soda to ¼ teaspoon. Decrease granulated sugar to 1 cup minus 1 tablespoon. Increase to 2 large eggs. Place rack in center of oven; bake large loaf at 375° for 50-55 minutes, baby loaves for 30-35 minutes.
• If baking at 5,000 feet:
• Increase flour to 2 cups plus 1 tablespoon. Decrease baking powder to 1¼ teaspoons plus ⅛ teaspoon. Decrease baking soda to ¼ teaspoon. Decrease granulated sugar to 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons. Increase to 2 large eggs. Increase apricot nectar (or buttermilk) to ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons. Place rack in lower third of oven; bake large loaf at 375° for 48-50 minutes, baby loaves for 35-40 minutes.
• If baking at 7,000 feet:
• Increase flour to 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons. Decrease baking powder to 1¼ teaspoons. Decrease baking soda to ¼ teaspoon. Decrease granulated sugar to ¾ cup. Increase to 2 large eggs. Use buttermilk, not nectar, and increase to 1 cup. Place rack in lower third of oven; bake large loaf at 350° for 60-62 minutes, baby loaves for 30-35 minutes.
• If baking at 10,000 feet:
• Increase flour to 2¼ cups. Decrease baking powder to 1¼ teaspoons. Decrease baking soda to ⅛ teaspoon. Increase salt to ½ teaspoon plus ⅛ teaspoon. Decrease granulated sugar to ¾ cup minus 1 tablespoon. Increase to 2 large eggs. Use buttermilk, not nectar, and increase to 1 cup. Place rack in lower third of oven; bake large loaf at 350° for 60-65 minutes, baby loaves for 32-37 minutes.