Quick Breads

Happy Saturday to all. Today's blog is about quick breads.

There is not too much difference between muffins and quick breads. Both are relatively simple to make. Quick breads, however, are generally in a loaf shape and take longer to bake due to the shape and quantity. Of course, recipes will slightly differ as well.

Besides muffins, the quick breads category also includes biscuits, coffee cakes, popovers, pancakes, and waffles. Today I will be addressing the loaf shaped, generally sweet, breads that most of us think of as quick breads. Those include Banana Bread, which many of you are familiar with, Date Nut Bread, Zucchini Bread, and many other tasty treats.

In my blog regarding muffins I mentioned the quick leavening agents of baking powder and baking soda. To go into further detail, baking powder is a combination of baking soda and usually cream of tartar. Baking powder starts to produce gas bubbles as soon as they come in contact with the wet ingredients. Therefore, as with muffins, quick breads are made by mixing first the dry ingredients, then adding the wet ingredients.

Some recipes will include buttermilk as an ingredient. Last week, for example, I gave you a recipe for Bran Muffins that included buttermilk. Buttermilk was originally the product left behind from the butter making process. It is slightly acidic but gives a pleasant taste when blended with sugar. If you do not have buttermilk on hand you can make a close substitute in taste by adding 1 tsp. lemon juice to 1 cup of whole milk and let stand for a few minutes before using.

Before starting your baking, have all your ingredients and equipment ready to start. Loaf pans come in several sizes. In general, most recipes call for the standard 9" x 5" pan. For those of you following this blog in Europe please note that there are equivalent sizes in the metric system that are close to the 9 " x 5 " size, so you will want to choose that. Preparation of the loaf pans is slightly more involved than muffins. To prepare the pans, use butter to thoroughly coat the bottom and sides with, then pour in some flour and shake thoroughly the flour around to completely cover the butter. Invert the pans over a garbage area and shake off the excess.

You should place your batter filled loaf pans in the center of the oven, allowing space between the pans. When baked, allow the bread to cool slightly. Although muffins are best eaten right after they are made, the sweeter loaf quick breads are generally best the next day when their flavors have developed. Quick breads also freeze well, making them perfect for making ahead for busy holidays or to take advantage of a bumper crop of fresh fruit. To freeze, simply wrap tightly in plastic zip lock bags, plastic wrap, freezer paper, or plastic containers, squeezing out as much air as possible. The frozen breads keep well in your freezer for up to six months.

When selecting a recipe, I like to make my choice based on what is available locally in the market. For example, if blueberries are season, you might want to make Blueberry Bread. Or, if you have some home grown zucchini, Zucchini Bread is a great way to use up that abundance of vegetable the zucchini plants are noted for. If fact, it is a great way to get your children to eat a vegetable; my children growing up would never eat cooked zucchini; but, put it in Zucchini Bread, and "voila".

Selecting your recipe by what is in season or available locally will ensure that your baked goods will have the best possible taste, and will generally provide some economic savings as well. In addition, it gives you reason to appreciate the seasons and all that they have to offer. During this week go out to the store (or your garden if you have one) and find out what fruits are in season for making quick breads.

Next Week: A couple of Quick Bread recipes