Friday, January 17, 2014

Chocolate Chip Almond Coconut Bread



Remember how I told you to make this? Did you? Did you try any of the alterations I mentioned? Oh well, here. I've written out the recipe for one of them for you. NOW you can try it. It's probably the best quick bread I've ever eaten in its original form. But the addition of chocolate chips and toasted almonds makes it a little decadent. And there's just nothing wrong with that.


Chocolate Chip Almond Coconut Bread *click here for printable version*


Ingredients:


2 large eggs
1-¼ cups milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
2-½ cups all-purpose flour
¼ tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup granulated sugar
1-½ cups sweetened flaked coconut
½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
½ cup chopped, toasted almonds
6 Tbls unsalted butter, melted (and browned if you prefer)
Nonstick cooking spray or butter for baking pan


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla


In a medium bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking powder. Add sugar, coconut, chocolate chips, and almonds and stir to combine. Make a well in the center and pour in the liquid mixture. Stir until just combined. Add melted butter, stirring until smooth. Do not overmix.


Spray (or butter and flour) a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Spread batter in pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 60-75 minutes. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.


My favorite way to eat it? Toasted in the toaster oven with a little butter spread over it. But just sliced up and popped in your mouth is pretty amazing as well.

TGIP Rating--Chocolate Chip Almond Coconut Bread--KEEPER. More alterations on the original to come.

Next up: I've not used coconut oil in my baking at all yet. I'm giving it a try with these. I guess I'm on a bit of a coconut kick. Maybe I'm just longing to be someplace warm and wild.

Friday, January 3, 2014

2013 Year in Review



Who'd have guessed?! Snowcaps was my most visited post this year. Yeah, they're super delicious!

Personally, I can't pick a favorite. But here are some highlights:

Stuff I altered/combined from other people's amazing recipes...

          

Excellent pies/tarts...

     

Super delicious cookies...


Yummy bread I'm about to alter for a Sunday morning breakfast treat...


Best birthday cake ever...


Favorite new frosting technique...



TGIP Rating--2013--A good year. Not very much inventiveness on my part, but I loved a lot of what I baked.

Next up: I'm going to alter that Coconut Bread with some toasted almonds and lime zest. See how that turns out!