Breakfast or dessert? Cherry almond sweet bread doubles as both

Are you looking for something tasty and easy to add to your otherwise boring menu? Or something that would go great with a cup of coffee or tea?

What you need is a good quick bread recipe. Quick breads are a cross between bread and cake. They are quicker to make than their yeast-rising counterparts. They can be sweet and savoury, incorporating the best of fruits and vegetables, depending on your preference.

Whatever kind of quick bread you’re making, take care not to overmix the batter. When you stir the wet ingredients into the dry ones, combine with only 10 to 12 quick strokes. The batter should still show wisps of flour and will be lumpy.

Overmixing causes quick breads to deflate after baking, and the baked bread’s interior will have tunnels or holes. Stir add-ins such as nuts or cheese into the batter just before putting it into its baking vessel.

Quick breads can bake in loaf pans, square pans or heavy skillets, whatever is easiest. They are done when a pick inserted in the middle comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. It’s normal for quick breads baked in loaf pans to have a crack in their tops. Under-baked breads will collapse; over-baked quick breads will be tougher and dryer than they should be.

You can substitute any fruit for the cherries, change out the nuts and choose a different extract. Try blueberries or blackberries with pistachios and lemon extract. Ice it with a simple glaze of powdered sugar and milk, or serve it plain, if you wish.

CHERRY ALMOND SWEET BREAD

This bread will slice most easily the day after it’s baked. Wrap the completely cooled loaf tightly in foil and refrigerate. After its overnight rest in the fridge, it can be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1 1/4 cups milk

3 tablespoons cooking oil

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 cup pitted, coarsely chopped sweet cherries

2/3 cup chopped almonds

Method

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan with baking spray or lining with parchment paper.

2. In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, stir together egg, milk, cooking oil and almond extract until well combined.

3. Add egg mixture to flour mixture all at once. Stir until just moistened. Fold in the cherries and chopped almonds. Pour batter into prepared pan.

4. Bake until a wooden toothpick inserted near the centre comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool in loaf pan on wire rack, 10 minutes. Remove loaf from pan. Cool completely on the wire rack. Wrap and store overnight before slicing.