Chocolate Nut Pumpkin Bread

Chocolate Nut Pumpkin Bread

1 stick ( 1/2 cup) butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup firmly packed unsweetened cocoa powder
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup milk
6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips (1 cup)
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup currants or raisins
Confectioners’ sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease a 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan.

In a large bowl, beat together butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, pumpkin, and cocoa; beat well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add to chocolate mixture alternately with milk, beating until mixed. Stir in chocolate chips, pecans and currants. Turn batter into prepared pan.

Bake 1 1/4 hours, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let loaf cool in pan 30 minutes, then transfer to a rack and let cool completely. Sift confectioners’ sugar over top before serving.

Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread

Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread
Posted by FootsieBear at recipegoldmine.com April 28, 2001

2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
2 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 cup mashed ripe banana ( about 2 1/2 bananas)
1/3 cup strong coffee, cold
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chunks or large chips
2 to 3 tablespoons dark or spiced rum
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease bottom of 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan, line it with wax paper, and grease and flour the bottom and sides.

Beat sugar and butter in large bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy. And eggs, one at a time, beating until light. Stir together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and allspice.

Combine the banana, coffee, and vanilla extract. With mixer on lowest setting, add dry ingredients alternately with banana mixture in three parts until just incorporated. Use rubber spatula to fold in chocolate. Spoon batter into prepared pan and bake 55-60 minutes (25-30 minutes for muffins), or until wooden skewer inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack.

Remove wax paper and drizzle bottom with a little rum. Turn it right side up and drizzle top with rum; cool completely. Before slicing, sprinkle top of loaf with confectioners’ sugar.

Makes 1 loaf, or 15 muffins.

Foolproof French Bread

Foolproof French Bread

1 package dry yeast
2 cups lukewarm water
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar

In large bowl, mix flour, salt and sugar together.

In small bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Pour yeast mixture over other ingredients. Stir and mix. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise 4 hours.

Punch down, but do not knead. Place in greased souffl? dish. Cover and let rise 1 hour.

Bake at 400 degrees F for 1 hour. Bread may need to be covered during the last 15 minutes if it browns too quickly. If you do not want a hard crust, brush loaf with butter after removing from oven.