Walnut Plum Bread Recipes

SPICED PLUM BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
• In a large bowl, blend the egg, honey, sugar, and vanilla. Mix in the flour, baking soda, cloves, and cinnamon. Fold in the plums and walnuts.
• Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan, and bake 50 to 60 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

SUGAR PLUM BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a small saucepan, combine dried plums, water and 2 tablespoons sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium heat for 1 minute. Remove from heat; let stand until plumped, about 10 minutes. Drain plums, reserving fruit and liquid. Measure liquid, adding enough water to yield 1/2 cup. , Cream shortening and remaining sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in egg. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture alternately with cooking liquid; fold in cooled dried plums (batter will be thick)., Transfer batter to a greased 8x4-in. loaf pan. Sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs, 40-45 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

FRESH PLUM QUICK BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugars, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, whisk the buttermilk, oil, egg and lemon zest. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in plums. Pour into two greased 8x4-in. loaf pans., Combine the topping ingredients; sprinkle over batter. Bake at 350° for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

PLUM AND WALNUT BROWN BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a loaf pan 9 by 5 by 3 inches.
• Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a large bowl. Blend in the butter with a fork until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
• Beat the egg until thick. Stir the egg and prune juice into the flour mixture just until the ingredients are blended. Fold in the plums and nuts.
• Spoon the batter into the baking pan. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, until the top springs back when touched lightly and a cake tester comes out clean. Allow to cool before removing from pan.

BANANA PLUM BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• In a large bowl, mash the sugar and margarine together until creamy, and beat in the eggs. In a separate bowl, sift the flour with baking powder and baking soda. Stir the flour mixture into the egg mixture in thirds, alternating with the mashed bananas until the batter is smooth and well combined. Gently fold in the plums, and place the batter into the prepared baking dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 1 hour.

PLUM BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a bundt pan or loaf pans.
• In a large bowl, mix together vegetable oil, white sugar, eggs, plum baby food, and food coloring. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, baking soda, and nuts.
• Mix wet and dry ingredients together. Transfer batter to prepared pan(s).
• Bake in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. (Smaller loaf pans will take less time.)
• Remove from oven to cool 10 minutes in pan. Remove and place on cooling rack.
• While the cake is cooling, combine confectioners' sugar and lemon juice. Brush over top while cake is still hot.

PRUNE PLUM NUT BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Lightly grease and flour two 9 x 5 x 2 1/2-inch loaf pans.
• Wash and dry the plums, but do not peel, dice into small pieces.
• If using dried prunes, soak them in warm water for about 15 minutes pat them dry and dice them.
• In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar and vanilla until fluffy.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Sift together flour, salt, cream of tartar and baking soda.
• Blend yogurt and lemon peel, add to creamed mixture alternately with dry ingredients.
• Stir until well-blended.
• Add diced plums/prunes and nuts; mix well.
• Divide batter between the 2 prepared loaf pans and bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center of bread comes out clean.
• Remove loaves from oven; let cool in pans for 10 - 15 minutes, then invert loaves onto cooling rack, and let cool completely.

WALNUT BREAD

Steps:

• Toast walnuts in an oven or under the broiler. Set aside to cool.
• Place yeast in a large mixing bowl. Mix salt into 2 cups (473 milliliters) lukewarm water. Stir into yeast. Stir in maple syrup and 2 tablespoons oil.
• Measure 1 cup of the toasted walnuts, place in a food processor with 2 tablespoons of the whole-wheat flour and process until finely ground. Add to bowl along with remaining whole-wheat flour. Stir with a wooden spoon.
• Add bread flour 1/2 cup at a time until dough forms and leaves the sides of the bowl. (At this point you're better off mixing with your hands.) Turn dough out onto a floured work surface. Continue adding bread flour, kneading as you go, until you have a dough that's a bit on the soft side, only slightly sticky and easy to handle.
• Clean out your bowl, coat it with 1 tablespoon oil, and place dough back into the bowl, turning it so it's oiled all over. Cover with a cloth and set aside to rise until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Punch the dough down, add remaining toasted walnuts and lightly knead them into the dough. Dust a spacious baking sheet with cornmeal. Divide the dough in half, shape into 2 balls and place on the baking sheet. Cover loosely and let rise for an hour.
• Place the oven rack in the lowest position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Slash the tops of the breads with a razor or a lame (a baker's blade). Do not be tentative about this step; your slashes should be a good half-inch deep, done with a firm, even hand.
• Place the baking sheet in the oven. Throw a handful of ice cubes on the floor of the oven to create steam. Bake 20 minutes. By this time the breads should be a nice honey-brown. Brush them with remaining 1 tablespoon oil, reduce heat to 350 degrees, add more ice cubes and bake about 25 minutes longer, until the breads are well browned and sound hollow when tapped. Allow to cool at least 1 hour before cutting.