Mandelbroit

November 12, 2017August 18, 2019 ~ Marvin ~ Leave a comment

This delicious recipe has been tried and tested for many years in our household. Give it a try for a delicious addition everyday snack. Great on their own or to dip in coffee.

Ingredients

¾ cup olive/grapeseed/coconut oil
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
½ tsp. pure almond extract
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 ¼ cups each whole wheat flour and unbleached all-purpose flour
3 tsp. baking powder
2 cups Vector/Special K Protein/Fibre 1 cereal, coarsely crushed
1 cup toasted blanched slivered almonds
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 tsp. cinnamon + 4 tsp. granulated sugar, combined for sprinkling

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Beat oil, sugar and eggs in an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.

Add almond extract and vanilla and beat again.

Combine flours and baking powder in a separate bowl and slowly add to mixture. Mix until just combined.

Combine cereal, almonds and chocolate chips in a separate bowl.

Add to mixture and mix until just combined.

Chill batter in a bowl covered with plastic wrap for 2-24 hours.

Divide mixture into 4 equal parts and shape into logs approximately 7- x 2-inch in size (approximately 1-inch thickness). Place onto cookie sheets.

Bake at 350F for 35 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

Slice into ½ inch slices and sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar mixture.

Bake for another 10 minutes. Allow to cool. Can be stored sealed at room temperature for several weeks.

Makes 4 dozen mandelbroit.

This is the “Jewish” version of biscotti. These cookies are also twice baked but because of their oil content, they are more crumbly and do not have to be dipped in coffee in order to be enjoyed. I have worked on this recipe in the “lab” for several years and they are hopefully perfected. Definitely one of my most favourite cookies both to bake and to enjoy!

Science Fact of the Week:

Our fact relates to the choice to use cereal in this recipe. In addition to adding some extra crunch, cereal adds many health benefits. In our house, we use Vector, which is low in fat, high in protein and fortified with vitamins and minerals. However, as with many cereals, beware of added sugars.

Apple Pie

November 5, 2017October 30, 2017 ~ Max ~ 4 Comments

Now that the weather is finally starting to get cooler, it’s the perfect time to pick apples (or go to the grocery store and buy them). We picked up some Spy and Cortland apples, both of which are great for baking as they retain their shape and crunch.

This apple pie is a bit of a concoction, and we tested out some cool tricks to make the pie crust flakey. After a couple attempts, it worked perfectly. The secret is the use of apple cider and apple cider vinegar.

This pie is dairy free, and can be vegan if you swap out the egg wash for melted margarine.

Ingredients:

For the Crust:

4 cups cake and pastry flour
12 tbsp. apple cider (cold) – Can be purchased at the grocery store. If unavailable you can substitute for ice water.
2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
4 tbsp. powdered sugar
1 tsp. salt
3/4 cup margarine
3/4 cup coconut oil

For the Filling:

8 cups of thinly sliced apples (about 8 medium or 6 large)
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2/3 cup sugar
3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp. salt

For the Egg Wash:

1 large egg white, lightly beaten – swap for melted margarine to make this recipe vegan.

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450˚F.

Combine 1 cup flour, cider and vinegar in a small bowl.

In a large bowl, combine remaining flour, powdered sugar and salt.

Add coconut oil and margarine (cut into small pea sized balls). Cut into flour mixture with a pastry cutter.

Add wet ingredients to this mixture.

Divide dough in half and cover each with plastic wrap. Chill in the fridge for 10 minutes.

To prepare filling, cut apple into a large bowl and add remaining filling ingredients.

Roll out (on a floured surface) 1 of the divided pie crusts to approx. 1/8 inch thick (large enough so there is overhang off the edge of the pie plate.

Cut off the excess dough and design the edges however you would like. Here I pinched the edges.

Put the filling in the pie crust.

Roll out remaining dough and cut into 1/2 inch strips. Weave together to create a lattice. Alternatively you can roll out the dough and place on top. If you choose this method, ensure that you cut holes in the top to let steam escape.

Brush pie with egg wash (or melted margarine)

Bake at 450˚F for 15 minutes before changing the temperature to 350˚F. Bake for an additional 35-50 minutes (until golden brown)

Feel free to use extra pie dough for design or to make mini pies in ramekins. For mini pies, change additional baking time to 25-30 mins.

Enjoy this delicious fall dessert with a side of vanilla ice cream.

Science Fact of the Week:

Our science fact this week relates to the use of different kinds of apples. Three apples that are great for pies are Spy, Cortland or Granny Smith apples. The texture of the apple is the most important. Macintosh are great for eating, but won’t suit the right texture for pie. You want to avoid apples that will get soft.

Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice

October 29, 2017October 25, 2017 ~ Marvin ~ 1 Comment

A non-dairy pumpkin spice loaf to wow any house guest. Great for a crowd, this fall dessert is a perfect go to with a quick clean up and very little effort.

If you wanna prep in advance to make this even simpler, you can create a pre-packaged Pumpkin Spice mixture (in a ziplock) to quickly throw into the bowl next time.

Ingredients:

3 cups granulated sugar
1 cup olive/grapeseed/coconut/canola oil
4 eggs
2 cups pure pumpkin puree
3 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. ground cloves
½ tsp. ground allspice
½ cup water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F and line 2 loaf pans with parchment paper sprayed with cooking spray.

Process sugar, oil and eggs until well combined.

Add pumpkin and process again. Combine dry ingredients in a bowl.

Add to the pumpkin mixture alternately with water. Pulse until just combined.

Pour batter into the 2 loaf pans and bake for 65-70 minutes.

Aside from being healthy and colourful, pumpkin is very easy to use in many baked recipes. Be sure to use “pure pumpkin” and not pumpkin pie filling which has added sugar and other additives. A great loaf to serve for Sukkot/Thanksgiving or any time in the fall/winter.

Science Fact of the Week:

Since we’ve already spoken about the health benefits of pumpkin, we thought it was important to talk about the choice of oil in this recipe. By using an oil base we can replace butter, making this non-dairy and a lighter alternative. Grapeseed oil contains Vitamin E, which as an anti-oxidant has been tied to lower risks of cancer, heart disease and other chronic illness. Olive oil, coconut oil and regular canola all work well for the recipe, feel free to use whichever you have on hand.

Matcha Green Tea Scones

October 22, 2017 ~ Max ~ Leave a comment

As you may remember, I had a bit of a scone obsession this summer. In addition to the earl grey scone, I created another tea infusion using matcha (green tea).

Similar to the earl grey scones, it is important to work with grated frozen butter. I use the food processor to grate the butter quickly, but it can also be done by hand.

Ingredients:

For the Scones:

2 tbsp. boiling water
2 + 2 tbsp good quality matcha green tea powder (I use David’s tea Vanilla Matcha)
2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour (plus extra for counters)
6 tbsp (75g) granulated sugar
2 and 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, frozen (I throw it in the freezer ice drawer about 20 mins before I start making the scones, and take it out only when I’m ready to use it)
scant 1/2 cup heavy cream (I use 35% Cooking Cream)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 large egg

For the Glaze

1 cup (120 g) confectioners’ sugar
2-3 tbsp milk
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract (or 1/2 of a vanilla bean, seeded)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400˚F.

Mix the boiling water with 2 Tbsp. of green tea using a whisk. Let it sit on the counter to cool down.

Take the other two tbsp. of tea and mix with the next 4 ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder and salt) in a large bowl using a whisk.

In a small bowl, whisk the scant 1/2 cup of heavy cream, vanilla, matcha concentrate and egg.

Grate the butter (by hand or in the food processor) and add to dry ingredients. Use a pastry cutter (or fork) to incorporate.

Pour wet ingredients over the butter mixture and incorporate with a rubber spatula. Make sure not to over-work the dough.

Flour a work surface to place your dough on. Shape the dough into a long rectangle (as pictured here).

To cut the scones, look at the instructions with the earl grey scones.

Bake scones for 12-17 minutes. 15 minutes usually works perfectly for me.

If you want scones on demand, these freeze well (pre-cut) in an air-tight container. Ensure that scones are not touching each other (divide with parchment). They can be stored in freezer for a few weeks before baking. Add two minutes to baking time when baking from frozen.

Allow the scones to cool on wire rack.

Mix ingredients for glaze in separate bowl. Top cooled scones with glaze.

Science Fact of the Week:

Matcha has some unique properties. It is packed with antioxidants and is said to boost metabolism. It also helps detoxify the body and boosts the immune system. It may also improve cognitive ability and help us complete tasks more efficiently.

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Loaf

October 15, 2017October 15, 2017 ~ Marvin ~ Leave a comment

Ingredients:

¾ cup granulated sugar
3 tbsp. olive/grapeseed/coconut/canola oil
2 large eggs
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa
1 ¼ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. kosher salt
1 ½ cups peeled and finely shredded zucchini (about 1 medium) –use fine shred blade on food processor

½ cup semisweet chocolate chips tossed with 1 tbsp. unbleached all-purpose flour

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Place first 4 ingredients in a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process until well blended. Add applesauce and pulse until combined.

3. Combine flours and the next 4 ingredients in a separate bowl.

4. Add flour mixture to processor and pulse until just combined.

5. Add the zucchini and pulse until just combined.

6. Add in the chocolate chips and fold in with a spatula.

7. Transfer batter to 9- x 5-inch loaf pan lined with parchment paper and sprayed with cooking spray.

Bake for 55 minutes.

What a great way to use zucchini in a low-fat chocolate cake. Shout out to Arielle W. for the suggestion to include this in the blog. This low fat cake is a great way to sneak a vegetable into a dessert. I’ve been making this for years but brought back, tweaked a bit and now results in delicious perfection. Freezes well.

Science Fact of the Week:

Zucchini is low in calories and is actually classified as a fruit! Also called a courgette, it keeps you full while being very low in calories. It may also protect the cardiovascular system. It is a good source of vitamin C, an antioxidant and it contains Manganese, which is an essential mineral.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Whipped Espresso “Buttercream”

October 8, 2017October 8, 2017 ~ Max ~ 2 Comments

This recipe is an adaptation from Hershey’s Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Cake.

A good chocolate cake is hard to come by. This one is great as a cake, cupcake, loaf, or cake pop. I’ve been making this chocolate cake recipe for about 10 years.

Feel free to get creative with this cake. Try topping it with fondant, sprinkles or toasted walnuts. This recipe is very adaptable. Swap out the icing for vanilla, chocolate, or any other flavour you can think of. One of my favourites is to make this as a two layer cake with whipped cream and strawberries inside, topped with chocolate frosting.

Ingredients:

For the Cake:

2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup almond milk (can swap for skim or soy)
1/2 cup extra light tasting olive oil (can also use canola)
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
2 tbsp espresso powder

For the Frosting:

1 cup (2 sticks) non-dairy margarine, at room temperature
2 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp espresso powder

Directions:

For the Cupcakes:

Makes 24 cupcakes. Preheat oven to 350˚F. Prepare two cupcake trays with liners.

Combine the first 6 ingredients in a large bowl.

Add eggs, almond milk, olive oil and vanilla extract and mix well for 1-2 minutes.

In a small bowl mix boiling water with espresso powder. Allow to sit for a minute before adding to batter.

Mix slowly. Batter should be thin.

Bake for 22-25 minutes. Allow to cool in pan for 10 mins before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

While cooling, prepare the whipped espresso frosting

For the Frosting:

In a small bowl, mix the vanilla and espresso powder. Set aside.

In a stand mixer, using the whisk attachment, whip the margarine for 5 minutes. Scrape the sides. With the mixer off, add the powdered sugar a 1/2 cup at a time, mixing in between to incorporate.

Add the vanilla espresso mixture and continue to mix on medium-high.

Science Fact of the Week:

Using almond milk allows this recipe to be dairy free, and adds some hidden nutritional value. Almonds are low in fat, and may help maintain a healthy heart and reduce blood pressure.

Honey Crumb Apple Cake

October 1, 2017September 29, 2017 ~ Marvin ~ 1 Comment

This honey crumb cake is another fall staple. Delicious for a crowd this makes a great addition to any event. The alcohol in this recipe gives it a unique flavour and depth.

Ingredients:

For the Honey Caramel:

1 cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp. honey
3 tbsp. water
6 tbsp. cold vegan margarine, sliced
¼ cup Nutriwhip
1 ½ tsp. kosher salt
2 tbsp. bourbon/whiskey/honey liqueur

For the Apples:

4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
2 tbsp. vegan margarine
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice/apple pie spice or combination of cinnamon/ginger/nutmeg (equal parts)
1 tbsp. unbleached all-purpose flour

For the Cake Batter:

½ cup vegan margarine
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
¾ cup vanilla almond/soy milk
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
½ tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. baking powder

For the Crumb Topping:

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup demerara brown sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. salt
½ cup vegan margarine, melted

Directions

Preheat oven to 325F and line a 9-by 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.

To make the honey caramel, in a medium-sized saucepan, bring sugar, water and honey to a boil without stirring. Let mixture boil until it becomes amber in colour. Immediately turn off heat, and whisk in margarine (mixture will bubble up).

Add Nutriwhip and salt. Whisk well until smooth. Add bourbon last, whisking well. Pour into a clean bowl and allow to cool and thicken slightly.

To prepare the apples, saute apples, margarine and spices in a large saute pan over medium heat until slightly softened, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Add half of the caramel mixture and 1 tbsp. of flour to the apples. Toss together and set aside.

For the cake batter, cream margarine and sugar in an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for 3-5 minutes until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, mixing until well incorporated. Scrape down sides of bowl and add milk on low speed. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt and baking powder. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the mixer and beat on low speed until combined and smooth.

Pour mixture into prepared pan, spreading in a thin layer.

Top with caramel-apple mixture.

For the crumb topping, combine the ingredients in order of list (flour through melted margarine).

Sprinkle evenly over apple layer in pan.

Bake for 50 minutes then cool completely. Cut into squres and serve drizzled with remaining caramel sauce.

Though this recipe has a long list of ingredients and four major components to it, the results will be worth it. We enjoyed this cake for Rosh Hashanah but of course it can be made any time of year.

Science Fact of the Week:

Our science fact of the week is actually busting a myth! While it is commonly believed that baking removed all alcohol, some ethanol actually remains in the desserts. It can take up to 3 hours to remove all traces of alcohol (ethanol) in a dessert. In the case of this cake, such a small amount is added so it should not be a concern, but it is important to note when cooking and baking with alcohol.

Oat Fudge Bars

September 24, 2017August 18, 2019 ~ Max ~ 1 Comment

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Have you ever longingly looked at the oat fudge bar in the Starbucks display window, tempted by the fudgy deliciousness?

These copycat Starbucks oat fudge bars will fill that void in your life. Make these and people will think that you stopped at the nearest Starbucks to pick up their entire stock of Oat Fudge bars.

They are great for a crowd, freeze well and are very simple to make. This recipe makes a 9×13 pan, however I multiply everything by 1.5 to fill a larger rimmed baking sheet.

Ingredients:

For the Oat Mixture:

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1/2 cup coconut oil (can replace with another stick of butter)
2 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
3 cups old fashioned oats

For the Fudge:

1 cup sweetened condensed milk (about 1 container)
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions:

Grease a 9×13 pan.

Cream butter (and coconut oil), sugars and eggs in a large bowl

Mix in flour, baking soda and old fashioned oats. Mix well.

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Take 3/4 of the mixture and press down into the pan similar to a crust. Ensure that the oats come up the edge of the pan slightly. This is what gives the fudge bars their delicious oat-ey crust.

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In a saucepan, melt fudge ingredients. Pour sauce over oat crust.

Take remaining 1/4 of oat mixture and “blob” on top.

Bake for 25-30 minutes at 350˚F.

Science Fact of the Week:

You may be asking about the use of coconut oil here. Lately I’ve been swapping out half the butter, or half the margarine and using coconut oil instead. Coconut oil contains no trans fats, and is made of up healthier saturated fats (including Lauric acid). Lauric acid may lead to apoptosis (cell death) in cancer cells, therefore leading to possible health benefits. It may also improve hepatic (liver) antioxidant status and improve overall cardiovascular health.

A Double Feature: Festive Round Rosh Hashana Challah and Apple Crumb Cake!

September 17, 2017September 15, 2017 ~ scienceofbaking ~ 1 Comment

A guest blog from the Domestic Goddess herself:

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Last year, I purchased a beautiful cookbook, “Breaking Breads,” written by the Israeli author/chef/owner of Breads Bakery (NYC) and Lehamim Bakery (Israel). The cover photo inspired me to bake his challahs for the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashana. I bake them with a 3-inch (9cm) ramekin in the middle in order to retain the shape. The challah can be served with honey in the ramekin for easy separating and dipping. The recipe below is an adaptation of the original and makes 2 round challahs.

Ingredients:

1 2/3 cups cool room-temperature water
1 tbsp. plus 1 3/4 tsp. active dry yeast
7 cups Best for Bread or unbleached all-purpose flour, plus extra for shaping
2 large eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp. kosher salt
5 tbsp. olive/canola/grapeseed oil
1 large egg + 1 tbsp. water for egg wash
1/4 cup each of sesame, pumpkin, sunflower and poppy seeds

Instructions:

Pour the cool water into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the bread hook. Add the yeast and whisk into the water. Add the flour, eggs, sugar, salt and oil.

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Mix the dough on low speed to combine the ingredients, scraping the bowl as necessary. Increase the speed slightly and knead for about 4 minutes until a smooth dough forms.

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Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for about a minute by stretching the dough, then round it into a ball.

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Lightly oil a large bowl and sprinkle with a little flour; place the dough in the bowl and sprinkle with a little more flour and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Set it aside for about 40 minutes at room temperature or until the dough has risen by about 70%.

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Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and gently pull the dough into a rectangular shape.

FullSizeRender 12.jpg Use a bench scraper or sharp knife to divide the dough into 2 equal pieces.

Then divide each piece into 3 smaller equal parts crosswise so you end up with a total of 6 pieces.

Set a piece of dough lengthwise on your work surface and use the palm of your hand to flatten the dough into a flat rectangle; then fold the top portion over and use your palm to press the edge into the flat part of the dough.

Fold and press 3 more times-the dough will end up as a cylinder about 7 inches long. Set aside and repeat with the other 5 pieces.

Gently roll each cylinder back and forth to form a long rope about 12-14 inches long with tapered ends.

Repeat with the remaining 5 cylinders.

Lightly flour the long ropes.

Pinch the ends of 3 ropes together at the top, braid the dough, lifting each piece up and over so the braid is more stacked than it is long, making it fatter and taller in the middle. When you get to the end of the ropes and there is nothing left to braid, join both ends of the challah together to form a circle around the oven proof ramekin/bowl.

Repeat with remaining 3 pieces of dough. Place the challahs on parchment paper-lined rimmed sheet pans, cover them with a kitchen towel, and set them aside in a warm, draft-free spot to rise until the loaves have doubled in volume, about 40 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400F with racks in the upper-middle and lower-middle positions. To make the egg wash, mix the egg and water together in a small bowl. Gently brush the surface of the loaves, taking care not to let it pool in the creases of the braids. Generously sprinkle the loaves with the seeds.

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Bake at 400F for 15 minutes then rotate pans and bake for another 15 minutes, covering the challahs loosely with aluminum foil for the last 5 minutes to prevent excessive browning.

Remove the loaves from the oven and set them aside to cool completely on the sheet pans. Fill the bowl with honey and enjoy.

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Best wishes to all for a sweet Shana Tova from www.thescienceofbaking.ca!

Apple Crumb Cake from Docmarvy himself

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My friend, Elaine, gave me a recipe for a Blueberry Crumb Cake (possibly a future post) and for Rosh Hashanah I modified it to become an Apple Crumb Cake. This cake is prepared in a loaf pan, freezes well, and is a wonderful accompaniment for a Rosh Hashana or Sukkot dinner. Feel free to use any kind of apple but I prefer Granny Smith as they are a bit tart, retain their texture and shape in baking, and this recipe is quite sweet to begin with. This cake represents simplicity as it isn’t an ornate festive cake but it tastes absolutely delicious.

Ingredients:

2 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar + 1 tsp. granulated sugar, divided
1/3 cup olive/canola/coconut/grapeseed oil
2/3 cup orange juice
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 tsp. baking powder
1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour + 1 tbsp. all-purpose flour, divided
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
2 cups Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced (approximately 1 1/2 apples)
zest of 1/2 lemon
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

For the Topping:

1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350F and line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade, add the eggs, 1 cup granulated sugar, oil, orange juice and vanilla and mix until well combined. This can also be done by hand (says Max who has made the blueberry crumb cake at school without an electric mixer).

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In a separate bowl, whisk together the baking powder, 1 3/4 cups flour and salt. Add to food processor and pulse until just combined.

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Toss the diced apples with the lemon zest, lemon juice, 1 tsp. sugar, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon and 1 tbsp. flour. Fold in the apple mixture with a spatula.

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Pour batter into the loaf pan and sprinkle with the combination of brown sugar and cinnamon.

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Bake for 60-65 minutes. FullSizeRender 13.jpg

Science Fact of the Week:

In celebration of the new year, our facts surround apples and honey. Apples are rich in phytochemicals. They have been linked to a decreased risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease and asthma. Maybe an apple a day does keep the doctor away! Honey on the other hand is often used as a cough suppressant to soothe the throat. Clearly this is meant to be a healthy holiday.

Pumpkin Banana Bread

September 10, 2017September 10, 2017 ~ Max ~ 2 Comments

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It’s September. School is back in session, it is no longer appropriate to wear white and Starbucks released the infamous PSL. Rather than a classic pumpkin recipe I thought I would experiment a little.

What do you get when you mix banana bread and pumpkin bread?

MAGIC!

On a hunch, I decided to intertwine the recipes for my favourite banana bread and pumpkin bread. With a few alterations, the creation came out perfectly. Not too heavy on the pumpkin, not too heavy on the banana – it is truly a delicious concoction. When serving it to someone, ask what flavour they think it is. About half have said pumpkin, the other half banana. Their minds are blown when you say both.

The banana bread base is an older recipe that has been altered over the years, however the pumpkin bread part comes from Gimmie Some Oven. Also a delicious fall dessert that I often make.

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Ingredients:

2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3 and 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 and 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 cup pumpkin puree (pure pumpkin)
3 ripe bananas, mashed
2 eggs + 2 egg whites
3/4 cup melted coconut oil
1/4 cup greek yogurt (I used vanilla greek yogurt, but can also use plain or toffuti sour cream to be non dairy)
1/2 cup milk (can use almond milk to be non-dairy)
2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350F.

2) Spray 9×13 pan with cooking spray, or line with parchment paper.

3) In a large bowl, mix together the first six ingredients (dry ingredients). Make sure to break up any large clumps.

FullSizeRender 30.jpg 4) In a separate bowl, mix pumpkin and banana well. Add eggs and egg whites, oil, greek yogurt, milk and vanilla extract.

5) Create a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add wet ingredients. Use spatula to mix well.

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6) Fill pan and bake for 45-55 minutes.

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This recipe is delicious for a crowd. It makes a 9×13 cake. Cut recipe in half to make a loaf cake and reduce the baking time by 10 minutes. It freezes well. Also works well with frosting (I’m partial to cream cheese frosting), but make frosting after defrosting the cake.

Science Fact of the Week:

Pumpkin is rich in vitamins and minerals. It is high in potassium, which may help lower blood pressure. It is also rich in beta-carotene and carotenoids, which, as antioxidants, may protect against cancer and cardiovascular disease.