This mouth-watering pastry makes me feel like I am in a Hungarian cafe. The fluffy sour cherry filling is placed between 2 layers of the crumbly dough. I also added ginger and additional walnuts to make this tasty dessert even more exciting. The recipe is based on Hargitai György, Master chef’s mother’s recipe.
TIP
You will need a lot of sour cherries, about 1-1.6 kg (2-3.5 lbs)! The recipe asked for 1.6 kg (3.5 lbs) but I only had 1 kg (about 2 lbs) and it worked fine. Ideally, fresh sour cherries are used but honestly frozen sour cherries would work too. In fact, I bought the cherries at the farmers’ market earlier but wasn’t able to use them right away so I ended up freezing them. The frozen cherries worked well too. Just make sure they are sweet and have a nice flavorful!
RECIPE
Serves: 9 – 12 slices
INGREDIENTS
4 cup (500 gr) flour, cut and sifted
pinch of salt
15 tbsp (260 gr) cold unsalted butter
2 1/2 tsp dry yeast
1/2 cup milk
4 large eggs, divided
10 tbsp powdered or cane sugar, divided
peel and juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1-2 tbsp rum (optional)
1 – 1.6 kg (2.25 – 3.5 lbs) fresh or frozen sour cherries (pitted)
1 tbsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp bread crumbs
1 cup + 2 tbsp walnuts
METHOD
Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter a baking pan (11 x 9 x 2 inches or equivalent size). Sprinkle some flour on the bottom.
Dough
Preparing the yeast mixture. Add lukewarm milk (92 – 98 F) to the yeast. Let it rise.
In a larger bowl, sift the salt in with the flour. Crumb the butter with the flour with your finger tips or you can use a food processor as well.
Add the prepared yeast mixture from earlier.
Add 3-4 tablespoon sugar, 3 egg yolks, vanilla extract and rum (optional). Mix quickly. Save the egg whites for later for the filling).
Refrigerate for 1 hour.
Meanwhile prepare the filling.
Filling
In a medium sized bowl, add ginger, cinnamon, 6 tablespoons of sugar, lemon juice and peel, 2 tablespoons of chopped walnuts and 2 tablespoons of breadcrumbs. Mix. Set aside.
Beat the the egg white saved from earlier until it is hard. Gently fold in the earlier prepared mixture.
Assembling the cake
Take the dough out of the fridge. Cut into two parts. Put 1 part back in the fridge while you work with the other.
Roll out the dough into the shape of your pan and carefully place it onto the baking pan. Place the filling on top of this dough. Sprinkle 1 cup of the walnut on the top of the filling.
Take the other part of the dough out of the fridge and roll it out into the shape of the pan. Place it on top of the filling.
Lightly whisk 1 egg and spread it on top of the assembled dough. Sprinkle a little sugar on top. Prickle the top with a fork.
Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes or until the top has a nice golden color top.
Take out of the oven and let the cake completely cool off. Slice the cake.
I could eat this whole dish in one sitting … seriously it is so delicious! It is rich, crispy and cheesy! This savory casserole dish is great to serve for breakfast or any time of the day. It is especially useful if you have to feed many people all at once. Best of all, it can be prepared ahead of time! Just prepare the dish the day before your event and bake the next day. The main ingredients are shredded potatoes, cheese and eggs and I also added spinach and mushrooms. Feel free to make doubles, triples …
Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease a casserole dish (11 x 8 x 1 inch).
Grade the potatoes on a cheese grader. I used the larger holes.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Fry the potatoes for 10 minutes. (The potatoes should be cooked to perfection so they are ready to eat). Set aside.
In a separate skillet, fry onions on medium high heat until translucent. Add the sliced bacon for 5 minutes (omit if not using bacon). Add the sliced mushrooms and continue frying them for another 5 minutes. Add paprika and garlic, stir for 1 minute. Add 1/4 cup cold water, stir. Add the spinach. Cook for 5 minutes covered. Turn off heat. Add the whisked eggs, milk, cream, salt and half the cheese. If using, add the chopped jalapeno peppers. Set aside.
In a medium sized casserole dish, spread the cooked hash-browns on the bottom of the pre-oiled dish. Pour the egg/vegetable mixture on top of the potato layer. Spread the remaining cheese on top.
Bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes. (Increase temperature to 400 F for the last 10 minutes if you want a crispy edge). The dish is done when the top has a nice golden color.
Add pepper and salt to taste.
Serve warm with salsa or ketchup. You can also add sausage, ham etc. In the summer, I like to add seasonal vegetables like lettuce, asparagus. In the winter, I like to add pickles.
Surprise your mom for breakfast with these delicious, fluffy pancakes for Mother’s Day or just treat yourself any time!
These pancakes are a happy marriage of the traditional American buttermilk pancakes and the Russian buckwheat pancakes (blini). The mixture of the buckwheat and the tapioca gives these pancakes a fluffy and tender texture with a sweet and nutty flavor. This pancake recipe is naturally gluten-free.
I wanted to replace the white flour in the traditional American pancake recipe with something healthy as white flour is tasty but is not very nutritious or filling. I remembered the Russian pancakes called blini; however, blini on its own is too dry for me. Furthermore, many of the flour alternatives can be lesser quality. So after using buckwheat and tapioca over the years, I decided to experiment. I have to say the result quickly became a family favorite.
Buckwheat is an ancient plant but has been forgotten. It has recently become popular again in the West because it lacks gluten. Gluten can cause gastrointestinal problems in so many people. Buckwheat is a staple food in Russia, in fact, the Russians have survived on it for centuries to help them get through difficult times. Eating buckwheat might have been their secret.
So why should we eat buckwheat on a regular basis? Even if there is no crisis, buckwheat can be included in our diet as it is incredibly nourishing.
Buckwheat is very healthy. It is not a grain but it is the seed of the buckwheat plant. It does not cause digestive problems like wheat does. Instead, it actually nourishes the digestive tract. Its neutral thermal nature and sweet flavor are an indication that it is a tonic food. It is rich in protein. It also has intestine cleansing, strengthening and appetite improving abilities. Rutin, a bioflavonoid in the grain strengthens the capillaries and blood vessels, hinders hemorrhaging and promotes circulation in the hands and feet. Rutin also has the ability to protect against radiation.
To improve the texture of the pancakes, I added tapioca pearls. Tapioca is a type of starch that’s derived from the starchy vegetable called cassava root. It is a popular flour to use for its starchiness when replacing wheat flour but it doesn’t provide many important essential nutrients. Combining tapioca with the nutritious buckwheat solves this issue though.
You can serve the pancakes with anything your heart desires. I think nuts and maple syrup are essential. In the summer, I like to serve them with fresh fruits, rhubarb sauce and in the winter apple compote or apple sauce. Please check out my rhubarb sauce recipe that I had posted earlier.
TIPS
This is my well tested pancake recipe, I have been making them for many years regularly on the weekends. I tested the recipe with butter and with coconut oil, both worked great! Also, I used milk and almond milk, both worked well as well.
The trick to making these pancakes is to grind both the buckwheat groats and the tapioca pearls in a blender fresh before you make the pancakes. It is worth it! I have a Vitamix but any blender will work. The store-bought flour yields a lesser quality in texture and flavor in my opinion. Of course, you can make the recipe with flour that you get at a store.
Another trick is when you grind the grains, leave the flour a little coarse. This gives the pancakes a bit of texture. Keep checking the flour to figure how much time you need for grinding. I grind the buckwheat for about 3- 5 seconds and the tapioca for about 30 seconds. Hint: stop grinding them before they become a fine flour consistency.
Also, I like to use buttermilk. Traditionally, buttermilk is used in pancakes. I like using it because it makes the pancakes taste better. You get this really nice buttery flavor and soft texture. Also, it makes the pancakes healthier as it helps digestion.
I used to buy buttermilk but since I found this simple hack, adding apple cider vinegar to milk, I don’t buy buttermilk anymore. Try it, it works well. This method can be used with almond milk as well. Check out my recipe on how to make buttermilk.
If you make the recipe please feel free to share how you liked in the comment section.
RECIPE
Makes about 21 pancakes
I created this recipe so please don’t share it without giving proper citation.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup freshly grounded buckwheat groats or buckwheat flour (please read note above)
1 cup freshly ground tapioca pearls or tapioca flour (please read note above)
2 whole eggs, lightly beaten or 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
2 Tbsp of melted butter or coconut oil
oil for the pan
½ tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar (optional)
Chopped nuts, for serving
maple syrup, for serving
fruits, for serving
yogurt, for serving
Ground buckwheat flour
ground tapioca flour
METHOD
Grind buckwheat and tapioca. Grind buckwheat on the highest setting for about 3-5 seconds. Grind tapioca on the highest setting for 30 seconds. Of course the time will depend on how strong your blender is. Please check for more info in the introduction and pictures above. (Omit if using store bought flour).
Put buckwheat and tapioca flours in a large bowl. Add the buttermilk, mix. Let the mixture sit overnight but at least for 4 hours. (I leave it on the counter overnight. If you put it in the fridge, make sure the batter is at room temperature before making the pancakes).
Add baking soda, baking powder, salt, eggs, corn starch or arrowroot, melted butter or oil and sugar (optional). Mix well.
Heat a skillet or griddle over low to medium-high heat and grease with oil if need be. When skillet is hot (if you flick water onto the skillet, it should sizzle), take a ¼ cup of batter and pour onto skillet. Let cook for a couple of minutes (until the pancakes begins to bubble slightly). Flip and let cook for another 1-2 minutes until pancake are a slightly brown .
Serve hot with your choice of yogurt, rhubarb sauce, maple syrup, nuts, fruits, jam etc.
I get excited when my rhubarb plants are ready in my garden. One of my favorite ways to use rhubarb is to make a delicious sauce. The main ingredients are rhubarb stalks, sugar and spices. It is very easy to make. You just have to let the stalks sit in sugar until it exudes its liquid, add some spices to offset its sourness and cook gently on low heat for a short time. That is it! I like to serve it with pancakes.
Rhubarb is the first fruit here, oops I meant to say vegetable. Yes, people often think it is a fruit because of its fruity, sour taste; however, it is in fact a vegetable. While it is not a fruit, it can be prepared with sugar to kind of pretend that it is a fruit. Nevertheless, rhubarb sauce goes well with pancakes and other desserts or you can just eat it alone.
Yes, the rhubarb is sour so we need to add a few things. Sugar is a must for sure! Also, chefs like to add some chopped ginger and cinnamon to offset the sourness. In addition, I added 1 cup of berries to help make this sauce even tastier.
No water needs to be added. I let the stalks sit in sugar before cooking them. They will release enough liquid so no water needs to be added.
Also, rhubarb has favorable health effects. It has been used in the culinary world all over the world as it helps digestion and has an interesting flavor. It suits the spring season as it is cooling and detoxifying to the liver. Please, check out this website for more information.
The leaves are not edible as they contain oxalic acid and should be discarded. Do not eat them! But the stalks are edible and delicious. Just on the side, if you eat one leaf by mistake, no worries, nothing will happen! I was fine, just be aware that they are not edible.
When selecting the stalks, choose firm stalks that are not wilted. This should not be a problem if stalks are freshly picked.
Wash and trim the top greens off. Discard the green parts.
Cut the red stalks into 1 inch pieces.
Put rhubarb and sugar in a smaller pot for about 15 minutes or until the rhubarb exudes some juice. No need to add water!
Add the strawberries.
Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir.
Reduce the heat to low heat. Add the ginger and lemon or orange peels.
Cover and simmer on low medium heat, stirring occasionally until the rhubarb stalks soften for about 30 minutes. There should be no hard large lumps remaining.
If you want some chunkier pieces in your sauce, take a small amount of the soft larger pieces out with a slotted spoon, set aside. Let the rest of the sauce cook until the stalks fall apart and the liquid thickens.
Add the pieces back to the pot that were removed earlier.
Turn the heat off. Add cinnamon. Stir.
Let it cool for 15 minutes, the sauce will thicken as it cools.
This is a delicious carrot cake that I made for Easter this year; however, it is not just for Easter, it can be made for any occasion! It is made with the moist, spiced carrot bread base and is wrapped by the luscious lemony cream cheese frosting. It is definitely a crowd-pleaser!
I successfully made a drastic change to the sugar content in this recipe from the usual recipes. We all agreed the cake is plenty sweet and delicious. I included a range for the sugar content so you can decide how much sugar to use in your cake. I used 1/2 cup brown sugar for the cake and 1 cup granulated sugar for the frosting. Please try and let me how you liked it!
RECIPE
Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature.
CAKE INGREDIENTS
1/2 – 2 cup packed dark brown sugar or confectioners sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup oil with a light taste (I used coconut oil)
3/4 cup smooth unsweetened apple sauce
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 and 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (sifted and leveled)
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tsp apple spice or cinnamon powder
2 cup grated carrots
1 cup raisins (optional)
1 cup pecans, chopped (optional)
4 oz fruits for decoration (I used black berries)
2 cups nuts for the top (I used pistachio nuts)
FROSTING INGREDIENTS
Make sure all these ingredients are at room temperate
16 ounces full-fat brickcream cheese
1/4 – 1/2 cup of cream
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 – 4 cup confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
juice of 1 lemon
pinch of salt
INSTRUCTIONS
Making the cake
Set oven to 350°F. Butter and lightly flour the cake form. You can use parchment paper instead.
In a large bowl, whisk the wet ingredients (eggs, oil, applesauce, and vanilla) together until combined.
In another large bowl, whisk dry ingredients (the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, cinnamon) together.
Mix the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients using a spoon, mix until just combined. Do not over mix!
Fold in the fun ingredients (carrots, raisins and the chopped pecans).
Divide the batter evenly pouring the batter into the two cake pans.
Let the dough rest for 1 hour if possible.
Bake for 30-35 minutes. Test the center with a toothpick. If it comes out clean, the cakes are done.
The cakes must be completely cool before frosting and assembling. Remove the cakes from the forms and set them on a rack.
Making the frosting
While the cake is cooling, make the cream cheese frosting. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter together with a handheld mixer.
Add the sugar, vanilla extract, lemon juice, cream and a pinch of salt and continue beating the frosting until smooth. Frosting should be soft, but not runny.
Assembling the cake
Place 1 cake layer onto a serving cake platter. Spread some of the cream cheese frosting evenly over the cake layer. Add the other cake layer. (Tip: Place the top cake layer upside down so you get a nice flat top that is easy to decorate). Using a spatula, spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the top of the cake and the sides.
Serving
Decorate the top of the cake with the fruits and nuts of your choice.
Refrigerate cake at least for one hour before serving the cake. This helps the cake hold its shape when cutting.
Cover the leftover frosted cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Try this delicious healthy meal. It is a popular dish sold in American health food stores. Quinoa and black beans are drizzled with some olive oil, lime juice and spices. It is vegan and gluten free and can be served as a main dish. It can be taken to parties and is easy to make!
RECIPE
Makes 6 cups
INGREDIENTS
1 cup dried black beans (15 oz canned black beans), rinsed
1 cup quinoa, washed and rinsed
2 cup stock (vegetable or chicken) or water
1/2 cup olive oil or avocado oil
juice of 2 limes or 4 tbsp lime juice
2 tsp cumin powder
2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
2 bunches scallions, chopped
1 smaller cucumber, cubed
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
chopped tomatoes, optional
salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
Clean and soak the beans for 8 hours. Remove the soaking liquid, discard. Cook the beans in fresh water for 1.5 hours. Strain. (Omit if using canned beans).
Wash the quinoa well with cold water. Let it soak in cold water for at least 1 hour. Remove the soaking liquid and discard. Add the stock or fresh water. Bring to a boil and cook covered for 10 – 15 minutes or until all the water has cooked away. Turn off heat and keep lid on for 15 more minutes. (You can omit the soaking time if you don’t have time).
Meanwhile, prepare the dressing. In a medium sized bowl, mix oil, lime juice, spices, salt. Add the quinoa, scallions, tomatoes, black pepper and cilantro to this mixture and stir.
A few years ago, I had black bean brownies at a potluck. I love brownies but they tend to be rich and heavy. I remember looking at the brownies on the table and wished I could have had one … and soon afterwards the woman who baked the brownies came to me and invited me to try it … I explained to her that I really wanted to have one but brownies were a bit rich for me. Then she assured me that these brownies were not the regular brownies but they were made with black beans. Hmm I thought this is an interesting take on brownies … I kind of hesitated but then I gave it a try… and I am so glad I did! These are absolutely delicious, decadent brownies even better than the original!
These are very tasty, chewy and chocolaty brownies, no one will guess they are made with black beans. Try to use the best quality chocolate that you can possibly get as the chocolate is still an important part of the recipe. This is definitely a very healthy alternative to the original brownie recipes.
So why use black beans? Well, they are actually sweet. They also add protein to the brownies. The protein in the black beans helps to curb the blood sugar spikes that you would see with regular desserts.
Try it and let me know in the comment section how you liked it!
RECIPE
Yields 12 slices
Ingredients
1 cup dried black beans or 1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup coconut oil or unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp coffee liquor
1 cup chocolate chips, divided
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8 x 8 x 2 inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper.
Clean and soak the beans for 8 hours. Remove the soaking liquid and discard. Cook the beans in fresh water for 2 hours. Strain. (Omit if using canned beans).
Add the black beans without its liquid to a food processor and chop until smooth. I don’t have a food processor, so I just mash the black beans with a potato masher. It works great.
In a bowl, mix the chopped black beans, egg, coconut oil, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, coffee liquor, vanilla extract and salt until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
Stir in the chocolate chips and the nuts. You can do 1/2 cup of chocolate chips and save the other half for the top.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread it evenly.
You can put half the chocolate chips on the top.
Bake for 20 – 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let the brownies cool completely in the pan before slicing.
If you are like me and enjoy eating with the seasons, you might find it difficult to find dishes to make now. There are no local produce growing here, in fact we just got 5 inches of snow today. I would like to post my favorite recipe that I often turn to when I am out of ideas. This dish is my lentil soup.
This delicious lentil soup is super easy to make and is very filling. You most likely have all the ingredients in your kitchen. I just make a Hungarian soup base with root vegetables like carrots, celery and onions. I also add cabbage or green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, chard and of course the lentils.
I use curry and paprika powders to spice the soup. When I was shopping at an Indian grocery store, the Indian shopkeeper told me that he often added Hungarian paprika to curry. Hmm interesting, so when I went home I gave it a try. I added curry powder along with paprika to this soup and the results were phenomenal. The Indian man gave me a great tip! I really like how the curry and the paprika work together in this soup.
That is it! It takes less than an hour to cook and it will never disappoint you. Try it and please let me know in the comment section what you think!
RECIPE
INGREDIENT
4 cup Stock (chicken or vegetarian)
1 cup dried French or brown lentils or 1 can of lentil (14 oz)
1 medium sized onion, finally chopped
shortening (sunflower oil, lard)
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 large tomato or 1 can (14 oz)
3 medium sized carrots, chopped and peeled
1 cup green vegetables (cabbage, spinach, kale), chopped
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp of sweet Hungarian paprika (make sure it is authentic)
3 cloves of garlic
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper to taste
METHOD
Preparing the lentils. Clean and soak the lentils for a 8 hours. (You can skip the soaking if you don’t have time). Discard the liquid. Add 3 cups of fresh water and bay leaves and bring to a boil. Cook covered on low heat for 1 hour. Turn burner off. Let the lentils soak up the let over cooking water for 15 minutes with the lid on. Set aside. (Omit this step if you are using canned lentils).
Meanwhile prepare the soup base. Sauté the onions for 5 minutes until translucent. Stir. Add chopped celery, continue sauteing for 5 more minutes. Keep stirring.
Add the curry, paprika and crushed garlic for 1 minute. Stir. (Make sure there is enough oil). Add the tomatoes. Cook for 10 minutes until the tomatoes break up. Stir.
Add the carrots, cabbage or spinach and the stock.
Bring to a boil. Turn down to low heat and continue cooking for 45 minutes
Add the cooked lentils along with its cooking liquid and salt to taste. Stir.
In Hungarian fairy tales, mothers often make hamuban sült pogácsa (biscuits baked in ashes) for their sons when they set out on a journey to see the world. Infact, when I graduated from high school, every student got a little satchel with a pogácsa (biscuit) inside as symbol for this tradition to help us mentally get ready for our life journey.
It is still a popular staple in Hungarian homes except we don’t bake them in ashes anymore but they are baked in modern ovens. Pogácsa is similar to the English biscuits. There are many variations and can be made with potatoes, sheep cheese or pork crackling. I used potatoes in this recipe. Pogácsa is always made for holidays especially if guests come over. They are soft and flaky and can be served as an appetizer or with the main meal.
COOKING TIPS
Boiling the potatoes. I use a stainless steel steamer basket with ‘feet’ that elevates the potatoes above the water so the vitamins and minerals stay inside and so they don’t soak up too much water. If they soak up too much water, they will need additional flour that would make the dough too heavy.
Working with the dough. Make sure your work place temperature stays cool and does not exceed 65 F while cutting the pogácsa. If it is too warm, cut-out bogácsa can loose its shape and come out a bit crooked. The temperature will not have an effect on the flavor though. If your dough is too warm, no worries! Just put it in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes.
RECIPE
INGREDIENTS
1 pound Russet potatoes
1/2 pound butter (2 sticks), room temperature
1 pound (3 3/4 cup) flour, cut and sifted
1/2 cup milk
2 1/4 tsp dry yeast
1/2 tsp sugar for the yeast
2 eggs, divided
1 T salt + 1 tsp for the top
2 T caraway seeds, divided
METHOD
Preheat oven to 375 F.
Take the butter out of the refrigerator.
Boil the potatoes on a steamer basket. (For more info, please read above). Add cold water to the pot, bring the water to a boil. Turn heat down and continue cooking on medium low heat covered until fork tender.
Prepare the yeast. Warm milk to a temperature that is comfortable on the wrist, not too hot or cold (104 – 108 F). Pour milk over the yeast and sprinkle in a little sugar (1/2 tsp). Mix. Cover. In a warmish place, let the yeast rise for about 5 – 10 minutes. Set aside.
Peel the potatoes while they are still hot but you can handle.
Mash the potatoes while they are warm.
Add butter, 1 tablespoon caraway seeds and the salt to the potatoes. Mix well. Add the prepared yeast, flour and 1 egg. Mix.
Knead quickly, don’t overdo.
Let the dough cool.
Cover and place the dough in the fridge for at least 1 hours.
Take dough out of the refrigerator.
Let the dough come to room temperature. Fold it in three layers. Roll out the dough on a floured board to about 1-2 inch thickness.
Cut the dough into any size rounds with a biscuit cutter. (I used a 2 inch diameter cutter).
With the edge of a knife, make crisscross cuts on top. Beat 1 egg with 1 tsp salt. Spread the tops of the biscuits with egg wash.
Sprinkle a little caraway seeds on the top.
Put the pre-cut pogácsa on a pre-greased baking sheet.
Quickly collect all the remaining dough in a ball and repeat the previous steps (steps 12 to 15) until the dough is used up.
Bake in a preheated oven for 20 – 25 minutes or until the top has a nice oranges/brownish color.
This is a classic recipe for a moist carrot bread with an amazing rich texture and flavor! It is loaded with raisins and shredded carrots, infused with vanilla and warming spices and sprinkled with walnuts and sugar on top.
I use whole wheat flour instead of all purpose flour as it is better for health. Please note that whole wheat flour has to be soaked overnight so it doesn’t weaken our digestion process. Quick breads with all purpose flour are normally baked right after assembling the dough to prevent a ‘soapy’ after taste in the bread. However, the assembled dough with whole wheat flour needs to sit for 8 hours. This allows the flour to soften and prevents it from burdening our digestion. Honestly, I don’t notice this ‘soapy’ taste … the bread will be fine though, just follow the recipe … trust me!
The recipe works for 1 big loaf or 2 smaller loaves as well. Just make sure you reduce the baking time. Otherwise, there are no other changes to the original recipe.
RECIPE
Ingredients
1/2 lb (16 Tbsp) butter or coconut oil, melted
1/2 – 1 cup brown sugar + handful of white sugar for the top
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Take butter out of the fridge.
Butter a 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan or two smaller ones if you decide to bake dough in two pieces.
In a medium sized bowl, cream the sugar with the butter. I do this step by hand but you can use an electric mixer. Add the eggs until they are incorporated. Set aside.
In a large bowl, sift together the dry ingredients.
Mix the dry ingredients with the butter mixture that was done earlier. Gently fold in the shredded carrots and mix. Make sure you don’t overdo this step.
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan or pans. Sprinkle sugar and chopped nuts on top of the bread evenly over the entire area.
Let the mixture sit overnight covered. You can put it in the fridge just let it warm up to room temperature before baking it.
Bake for 60 – 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean and the top is golden brown. (If you divide the mixture in two parts, cook for 55 – 60 minutes).
Take the pan out of the oven and let it cool. You can slice the bread as soon as it cooled off.
Store at room temperature covered with a kitchen cloth or place in an airtight container. Unsliced, it can last up to one week.
Twin Cities Herbs 