Tag Archives: sweet breads

Breads and Pancakes

Carrot Bread

No one in our family was terribly inclined toward overly sweet desserts. Sweets were luxuries, not to be regularly partaken of. Mom’s and Grandma’s cakes and cookies were made more often of nutritious rather than decadent ingredients, with plenty of  nuts, poppy seeds, cottage cheese, and dried fruits rather than just sugar and flour.

It’s not surprising, then, that we  often opted for carrot bread  when we wanted a comforting snack or a satisfying breakfast: moist carrot bread with a touch of cinnamon, never too sweet, and laden with grated carrots and chopped nuts.

Carrots for carrot bread

Ingredients for Carrot Bread

  • 1-1/2 cups flour
  • 1 t baking powder
  • 1 t baking soda
  • 1/4 t salt
  • 1 t cinnamon
  • 3/4 cup oil
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup finely grated carrots
  • 1/4 cup chopped nuts

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Combine the oil and the sugar. Add the eggs and beat till fluffy. Add dry ingredients. Stir in grated carrots and nuts. Bake in oiled loaf pan at 350 F (180 C) for 55 to 60 minutes.

Breads and Pancakes

Mom’s Banana Bread

A simple recipe that was always a favorite. It takes easily to conversion to a vegan version and is also delicious with a few chopped walnuts and/or raisins added.

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 ripe bananas
  • 1/4 cup milk, soured with 1 tsp vinegar

Cream sugar and butter. Add eggs and stir till smooth. Add flour and baking soda. Mash bananas and add, alternating with milk. Bake 1 hour at 350 F.

Vegan substitutions:

Use 1/3 cup coconut oil instead of the butter, almond milk instead of regular milk, and replace the eggs with 1 T finely ground flax seed and 3 T of water per egg (soak the flax seed in water for a few minutes until thickened before adding to the recipe).

Breads and Pancakes

Loretta’s Hoska

Hoska is a delicious Czech Christmas sweet bread made by Grandma, and then Mom, and then Loretta, and now Anna.

A couple of kids

Recipe submitted, after extensive taste testing, by Nancy & Anna.
Makes 2 loaves. Bake 1 hour at 325-350F.

#1.

  • 1/2 C sultana raisins
  • 1/2 c sliced almonds plus a few whole peeled almonds

Soak #1 in 1/2 c rum or Grand Marnier overnight.

#2.

  • 1/2 c lukewarm milk
  • 2 T dry yeast
  • pinch sugar

Let #2 rise 5 minutes or until puffy.

#3.

  • 1 c soft butter
  • 1 c sugar

Cream together #3

Mix together #s 2 and 3 and add:

#4.

  • Zest of 1 lemon (not lime)
  • 1-1/2 c warm milk (room temperature)
  • 4 eggs (1 at a time)
  • 1 t Mexican vanilla
  • 1-1/2 t salt
  • 6 – 8 c flour (as needed)

Mix to form a dough and knead 15-20 minutes.

Add #1 minus whole almonds.

Place in a large buttered bowl and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled (1-1/2 to 2 hours).

Shape into 2 double braids (see below).

Place soaked whole almonds decoratively along double braids. Cover and let rise again to double–about 30 to 45 minutes. Mix 1 egg with a bit of milk and brush tops of braids. Bake 1 hour or so at 325 F until golden, brushing on more of the milk/egg wash about 1/2 way through.

If necessary, use foil to cover if Hoska appears to be browning too fast.

bread-dough-raisins

To form double braids:

  • Divide dough in half – then separate each half into 6 balls (3 larger, 3 smaller)
  • Roll balls into about 30 cm long ropes, using hands. There should be 3 thicker and 3 thinner ropes.
  • Braid larger ropes and place on baking sheet tucking in ends of braids.
  • Braid smaller ropes and place them on top of the larger braid.
Breads and Pancakes

Date and Nut Bread

A quick and easy sweet bread with moist dates and crunchy nuts that’s great for breakfast, as a dessert, or as a snack.

Ingredients for Date and Nut Bread

  • 1 cup chopped dates
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup oil
  • 3/4 cup boiling water
  • 1 egg
  • 1 t baking powder
  • 1 cup white flour
  • 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 t salt
  • 1/2 to 3/4 cup chopped nuts

Preparing Date and Nut Bread

Mix together the chopped, pitted dates, brown sugar, oil and boiling water. Allow dates to soften and mixture to cool. Stir in the egg, beaten, baking powder, flours, salt and nuts.

Put into a greased loaf pan (9 x 5″). Bake at 350F for approximately 50 minutes.