2 weeks Ago
Meet my current favorite fall quick bread. Moist, dense and tender, it’s flavored by sweet chocolate chips and tart crystallized ginger that harmonize beautifully with the spicy pumpkin batter and orange glaze. We nibble it any time of day, and I’ve even warmed thick slices and topped them with hard sauce for a casual dessert.
Be sure to use new, soft crystallized ginger and, to easily mince the sticky stuff, use a knife or kitchen scissors greased with a vegetable oil-flour spray. Active time: 40 minutes; total time: 2 hours Adjusted for altitudes of 7,000 feet and above. Make in a 81⁄2-by-41⁄2-inch or in three 3x5-inch shiny metal loaf pan(s) 11⁄2 cups plus 1 tablespoon bleached flour 3⁄4 teaspoon baking powder Pinch baking soda Slightly less than 1⁄2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1⁄4 teaspoon nutmeg 1⁄8 teaspoon allspice 3-4 tablespoons minced crystallized ginger 4 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature 2 tablespoons canola oil 1⁄2 cup dark brown sugar, packed 1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk, room temperature 1 tablespoon molasses 71⁄2 ounces pumpkin purée (half a 15-ounce can) 1⁄3 cup mini chocolate chips For the glaze: 1⁄2 cup confectioners’ sugar 2-4 tablespoons cream or whole milk Several drops orange oil or 2 teaspoons orange zest, to taste Preparation: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees with a rack in the center position.
Line the baking pan(s) with aluminum foil, extending it several inches on two opposing sides to use as handles when removing the bread. Generously grease the pan(s), foil and all, with a baking spray that contains flour. Make the batter: Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, all the spices and the minced ginger (for a stronger ginger taste, use the larger amount) in a bowl and whisk to blend well.
Set it aside. In another large bowl, beat the butter, canola oil, and brown sugar until smooth and thoroughly combined. Add the flour mixture and beat at low speed until mealy.
Add the egg and beat until blended. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl, lifting any dry ingredients into the mixture. Add the egg yolk and beat again until uniformly moistened.
Beat in the molasses and pumpkin and, finally, stir in the chocolate chips by hand until evenly distributed in the batter. Bake: Spoon the batter into the prepared pan(s) until they’re 2⁄3 full. Level and smooth the tops.
Tap the pans on a counter to dislodge any trapped air bubbles. Bake until a tester inserted in the middle comes out clean, the top is set and slightly springy when touched, and the bread starts to pull away from the sides of the pan. This takes from 25- 30 minutes for small loaves and from 45-55 minutes for the larger one, though use visual cues rather than oven time to determine doneness.
Cool: Move to a cooling rack, cool 20 minutes, and then use foil handles to remove bread from the pan(s). Let cool completely on rack before glazing. Glaze: Combine confectioners’ sugar and 2 tablespoons cream/milk in a small bowl and whisk to blend.
Add more cream/milk as needed to get a consistency that makes a ribbon when drizzled from a spoon. Add orange oil or zest to taste. Drizzle decoratively over the top.
When the glaze is set, store the bread, wrapped airtight, for 3 days in the refrigerator. It’s at its best when the flavors have had a few hours or even overnight to develop..
