Cranberry Orange Nut Bread
A delightfully, less sweet, quick bread that packs a lot of crunch - with the bite of the nuts and the zingy pop of the cranberries!
My husband’s favorite holiday - or anytime - quick bread (which implies no waiting for yeast to do its business) appears on our counter as soon as fresh cranberries hit the markets.
The contrast of the tart cranberries with the crunch of the nuts and the zing of the orange, balance harmoniously in this not-too-sweet bread. If you are one that likes Brisith scones because they also combine the tart with just a bit of sweetness, you will love this bread.
I like the image of cranberry bogs, (and actually walked in one in summer) where the berries are harvested in the most unusual way. Ads on TV show farmers wading in the flooded depressions where the cranberries grow and just let the berries float to the top and then skim them off the surface much as you would clean a swimming pool. Clever berries - swimming to the top and waiting to be scooped up! The farmer who first thought of this harvesting technique was inspired!
Cranberries are unique among berries with their great deep red color and the curious woody structure in the center that makes them go pop when you bite or cook them. Let them pop for you in this quick and easy bread. Their tartness will wake up your senses to the contrast of just enough sweetness for a perfect balance.
Cranberry Orange Nut Bread
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup soft butter
1 egg
3/4 cup orange juice (not concentrate)
1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries, cut in half
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated orange peel
3/4 - 1 cup coarsely chopped nuts - walnuts or pecans
-Mix dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Add butter, egg and orange juice and mix until all ingredients are just until smooth. Add cranberries, orange peel and nuts and stir into the batter by hand.
-Spoon thick batter into a greased 9 X 5-inch bread loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake in a 325 degree oven for 45 - 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
-Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan upright for 10 minutes. Turn bread out onto a cooling rack and allow to cool completely. Slice to serve. Makes 10 -12 slices. Store in refrigerator in a plastic bag or freeze until ready to serve. (If freezing, allow to thaw and slice after it is soft enough to do so.)
Mix all ingredients until smooth then stir in the cranberries and nuts to create a thick batter.
Pour and smooth batter into a greased standard loaf pan.
Bake until slightly puffy and tested for doneness.
What a colorful bread, with a tender crumb and chewy, crunchy pops!
PERSNICKETY NOTES:
**I cut the cranberries in half with kitchen scissors - much easier than using a knife. I also like to leave the nuts coarsely chopped for a bigger impact of nuttiness.
**Cranberry bread is excellent served with soft butter spread and/or cream cheese with a bit of orange zest stirred in.
