Maple Raisin Fig Bread Recipes

RAISIN BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 10-by-15-inch rimmed baking sheet. Line bottom with parchment paper, and butter parchment; set sheet aside.
• Make filling: Pulse raisins and sugar in a food processor until almost pureed. Transfer to a saucepan. Whisk cornstarch into 1 cup cold water; whisk into raisin mixture. Stir in cider. Simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens and sugar has dissolved, about 6 minutes.Let cool completely.
• Make dough: Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside. Put shortening in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until smooth. Add brown sugar, and mix until pale and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add egg and vanilla, and mix until combined. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture; mix until just combined. Mix in oats.
• Press half the dough into prepared baking sheet. Spread raisin filling evenly over top of dough. Crumble remaining dough on top of filling using your fingers, gently pressing down so that topping covers filling. Bake, rotating sheet halfway through, until top is golden brown, about 35 minutes. Let cool completely in sheet on a wire rack. Cut into 2-inchsquares. Bars can be stored between layers of parchment in airtight containers at room temperature up to 5 days.

FIG AND RAISIN BREAD

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add sugar to activate yeast. Add bread flour; sprinkle salt on top. Pour in raisins and figs; mix well.
• Knead dough for about 10 minutes. Place in a large glass bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for 3 to 4 hours.
• Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Pick up the side of the dough that's farthest from you and fold it inward, about 3/4 of the way across. Fold the last quarter of the dough all the way back over the far side, creating batard, or torpedo, shape. Press down on the seam with the side of your palm to seal it.
• Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C). Sprinkle some cornmeal over the dough and cover loosely; let proof for 45 minutes. Sprinkle more cornmeal onto a baking sheet; flip dough onto the sheet so the seam side faces up. Use a scoring tool or serrated knife to cut a few slashes into the top of the dough.
• Bake in the preheated oven until top is golden brown and bottom sounds hollow when tapped, about 20 minutes. Let the loaf cool for at least 30 minutes, as it will continue to cook when it comes out of the oven.

MAPLE WALNUT AND FIG BREAD

Steps:

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Put the diced figs in a medium bowl and add the warm water. Let soak until softened.
• Whisk the unbleached flour, cake flour, oats, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
• Put the maple syrup, milk, eggs, egg yolks, and canola oil in a medium bowl and stir with the whisk to combine. Add the mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring with a spoon just until all the flour is moistened. This should be a wet batter, because the oats absorb a lot of the liquid during baking.
• Fold the walnuts and figs into the batter (the figs do not need to be drained). Divide the batter evenly between two oiled 9- by 5-inch loaf pans. Bake for about 1 hour, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (If your oven bakes unevenly, rotate the pans from left to right and front to back about halfway through the baking time.)
• Remove the pans from the oven and use a pastry brush to glaze the tops of the loaves with maple syrup. Set them on a rack to cool for about 10 minutes. Turn the loaves out of the pans and set them on the rack to cool completely before serving. Wrap any leftovers tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature. They may also be frozen, wrapped first in aluminum foil and then in plastic wrap or a heavy-duty freezer bag.

MAPLE-RAISIN BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Place bread cubes in a greased 2-qt. microwave-safe dish. Sprinkle with brown sugar, raisins and cinnamon. , In a large bowl, whisk eggs, milk, syrup and butter until smooth. Pour over bread; gently press bread cubes into egg mixture. , Cover and microwave at 50% power until center is soft-set and a knife inserted near the center comes out clean, 10-12 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes. If desired, serve with additional syrup.

FIG AND DATE BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease an 8x4 inch baking pan.
• In a medium bowl, combine the dates, figs, butter and baking soda. Pour in the boiling water, stir well and let stand for 15 minutes.
• Beat the sugar, walnuts and eggs into the date mixture. Combine the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder and salt; stir into the date mixture just until blended. Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Bake in preheated oven for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

MAPLE PECAN BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F
• Grease bottom or parchment paper line an 8 x 4-inch or a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan, or 2 (6 x 3-inch) small loaf pans.
• With a wooden spoon, mix together all ingredients (except pecans and Maple Glaze) in a large bowl; stir until combined.
• Stir in 1/2 cup pecans. Pour into prepared loaf pan(s).
• Bake larger size loaves in preheated oven for 55 to 65 minutes, or if making smaller size loaves, bake loaves for 35-40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Cool loaf(s) for 10 minutes in pan(s).
• Remove loaf(s) from pan, and cool on wire rack.
• Cool completely, about 2 hours.
• Instructions for Maple Glaze: Mix all ingredients until smooth and thin enough to drizzle over loaf(s).
• Drizzle top(s) with Maple Glaze. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature for up to 4 days, or refrigerate for up to 10 days.

MAPLE NUT BANANA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. In a small bowl, mix bananas, sour cream, maple syrup and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with banana mixture, beating well after each addition. Fold in pecans., Transfer to a greased 9x5-in. loaf pan. For streusel, in a small bowl, mix flour, sugars, butter and cinnamon until blended. Stir in pecans; sprinkle over batter., Bake 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool.

FIG PRESERVES BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Beat together first 3 ingredients.
• In another bowl sift together the next 5 ingredients.
• Add to wet ingredients and stir in fig preserves and pecans.
• Spoon into 2 greased and floured loaf pans. (Mine are 5x9).
• Bake for 55-65 minutes.

APPLE-FIG BREAD PUDDING CUPCAKES WITH MAPLE SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Grease 6 jumbo muffin cups with shortening.
• In large bowl, mix bread cubes, apple and figs. In small saucepan, cook 1 cup brown sugar, the milk and 1/4 cup butter over medium heat until butter is melted. Remove from heat; stir in cinnamon and vanilla. Pour over bread mixture in bowl. Add eggs; toss to coat. Spoon mixture into muffin cups, filling to tops of cups.
• Bake 30 to 34 minutes or until center is set and apples are tender. Cool while making sauce.
• In 1-quart saucepan, stir granulated sugar, 1/3 cup brown sugar, the whipping cream and 1/3 cup butter. Heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in maple flavor.
• Remove warm cupcakes from pan; place on serving plates. Spoon warm sauce over cupcakes. Garnish with maple candies.