Friday 2 March 2012

Quick bread - molasses

I made stove top baked beans and a molasses quick bread for lunch today. 


The beans were another story altogether, I need help with baked beans.  I love them so, but, alas, have failed in every attempt to make them, but I do keep trying.  I get points for that.

The bread was a winner and a do-again-er.

This is the recipe I used.  Next time, I will bake it for the full hour.

Quick Whole Wheat and Molasses Bread
directly from The New York Times' diners journal

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup fine cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 2/3 cups plain yogurt *
1/2 cup molasses
- mix dry, mix wet in separate bowls.  Combine only to wet.
- pour into greased bread pan (9x5 or so)
- bake at 325F for 45mins to 1 hour, when toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean
- let cool in pan 15 mins, turn out on board to cool almost completely before you cut into it, try to wait, it's worth it!

* or use buttermilk, or sour your own room temp milk with 2 Tbsp white vinegar and milk to equal 1 2/3 cups

There's a "lighter" (in texture) version here that I will try next time, even though I liked this one very much.

Now to work on those baked beans... can you help me?  My biggest problem is they are hard, but even the finished flavour and texture is not quite right.  I just cannot capture the feeling of Québec maple sugar shack baked beans.  Now THEY know beans.

5 comments:

  1. I too cannot make beans unless thy come out of a can. They end up all hard and not delicious.
    K

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    Replies
    1. I like canned baked beans and use canned other beans for recipes because I can count on them.

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  2. I do my baked beans in the crockpot but they have to be soaked the night before or you can "quick soak" them by bring them to a boil and letting them sit. Once again, your beans can't be old. The older the beans the harder they will be. I can give you Auntie Ada's recipe:

    2 lbs beans (soaked overnight)
    1 tsp dry mustard
    2/3 cup brown sugar
    1/2 c ketchup
    1 c molasses
    2 tsp salt
    dash pepper
    2 small onions
    dash of liquid smoke (optional..this is my addition)

    Rinse beans and cook them for 10 minutes before putting them in crockpot. Add all ingredients and cover with water. Cook about 12 hours on low (although this could take up to 20 hours). Precooking them should cut down on the time.

    If you want a maple sugar flavor, substitute some of the sweetners in the beans for maple syrup.
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    I'm going to try your bread recipe...it looks delicious!!
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    Check your email for a picture of bananas I scored this week. I'm going to experiment with banana bread to make a whole wheat one with no added sugar. Wish me luck.
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    Skypless Maureen :)

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    Replies
    1. I just put the kids down for a nap, we can Skype tonight?

      Thanks for this recipe. Seems my "weak link" may be the age of the beans. I do soak them. I do quick method cook them. I do wait to put salt in them until they are at the desired texture (but I never really achieve the desired texture). Geez.

      Aunt Clare had some of this bread this morning and really enjoyed it.

      I SAW the big box of bananas, that's WILD! I wouldn't know what to do with all those bananas all at once - I don't have a food dehydrator but you are certainly making me consider it. It'd be a great way to put food aside and stuff to add to the granola that they love so much.

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  3. My bean recipe is similar the oneabove and it works every time! I cook on low for 10 hours. I don't soak overnight; I've had great success with boiling for an hour. I also use Navy beans and add in 8 slices of chopped bacon and a generous squirt of prepared mustard in addition to the dry. Taste the sauce mid-way through and add more ketchup or molasses if needed. They also freeze super well!

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