Blueberries at market
By Cat, Aug 2, 2017 (Photo, right, from Wikimedia Commons, and below from Wikimedia Commons)
We have a local blueberry orchard (Yellow Bay Gardens) in our small community that produces wonderfully flavored berries, so I’m always looking for ways to use them. Another option is to use wild huckleberries that also grow in abundance in our nearby mountains.
This recipe struck me because of the combination with pecans, and the ease with which the original recipe can be adapted for an overnight presoak of whole grain flour, which improves its nutritional value. I can hardly wait to try it (when our local blueberries are ripe).
See also: 1. Quick Breads menu; 2. Grains (About) menu;
Blueberry-Pecan Bread
Pecans
(Photo, left, from Wikimedia Commons)
This recipe is adapted from one in our Daily Inter Lake newspaper, originally pubishded in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, by Arthi Subramaniam. I’ve modified the recipe to use mostly whole wheat flour and replace most of the sugar with stevia, but I include the all-sugar option.
I also provide a version that presoaks the whole wheat flour overnight in the yogurt/milk mixture, to improve the nutritional value of the grain.
This recipe makes one 9″ x 5″ loaf.
Ingredients & equipment, standard recipe
I’ve not yet tested this recipe.
- 1½ cups pecans, lightly toasted and coarsely chopped, divided
- 1½ cups blueberries, washed and rinsed
- 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour, divided
- 1 cup unbleached white all-purpose flour
- 1¼ cups Rapadura or white cane sugar (OR ½ tsp stevia extract powder plus ¼ cup sugar)
- ½ tsp lemon or orange juice (only if using stevia)
- 4 tsp aluminum-free baking powder (or make your own)
- ¾ tsp unrefined sea salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ⅓ cup plain, unsweetened Greek yogurt
- ¾ cup whole, fresh milk
- 2 farm-fresh eggs
- Equipment:
- 9″ x 5″ pyrex or steel loaf pan
- large mixing bowl
- egg whisk
- wooden spoon
- rubber spatula
Method
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat the inside of a 9-by-5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Evenly sprinkle ½ cup pecans over the bottom of the pan.
- Gently toss together blueberries with ¼ cup of the whole wheat flour.
- In a large bowl, combine remaining 2¼ cup whole wheat flour, sugar, baking powder and salt; make a well in the center
- If using stevia, dissolve it in ½ tsp lemon or orange juice, then stir in milk. Whisk together melted butter, yogurt, milk and eggs. Add yogurt mixture to well in flour mixture. Stir until just combined; don’t overmix.
- Add blueberries and remaining pecans. Spread batter into prepared pan.
- Bake for about 70 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
- Let pan cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove warm bread from the pan and allow to cool completely before slicing.
Ingredients & equipment, pre-soak recipe
I’ve not yet tested this recipe.
- Presoak:
- 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ⅓ cup plain, unsweetened Greek yogurt
- ¾ cup whole, fresh milk
- Next-day:
- 1½ cups pecans, lightly toasted and coarsely chopped, divided
- 1½ cups blueberries, washed and rinsed
- 1 cup unbleached white all-purpose flour, divided
- 1¼ cups Rapadura or white cane sugar (OR ½ tsp stevia extract powder plus ¼ cup sugar)
- ½ tsp lemon or orange juice (only if using stevia)
- 4 tsp aluminum-free baking powder (or make your own)
- ¾ tsp unrefined sea salt
- 2 farm-fresh eggs
- Equipment:
- 9″ x 5″ pyrex or steel loaf pan
- large mixing bowl
- small bowl
- egg whisk
- wooden spoon
- rubber spatula
Method
- Presoak: Sift whole wheat flour into large mixing bowl; stir in melted butter. Combine milk and yogurt in small bowl then add to flour/butter mixture and stir until combined, but don’t overmix.
- Cover bowl with waxed paper, or slip it into a plastic bag, then cover bowl with dishtowel (to keep the mixture in the dark). Let sit on counter overnight.
- Next day: Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat the inside of a 9-by-5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Evenly sprinkle ½ cup pecans over the bottom of the pan.
- Gently toss together blueberries with ¼ cup of the white flour.
- Sift together remaining ¾ cup white flour, sugar, baking powder and salt; set aside
- If using stevia, dissolve it in ½ tsp lemon or orange juice. Whisk eggs (with stevia mixture, if using). Stir into presoak mixture alternately with white flour mixture, but do not over-mix.
- Add blueberries and remaining pecans. Spread batter into prepared pan.
- Bake for about 70 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
- Let pan cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove warm bread from the pan and allow to cool completely before slicing.
References:
- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette recipe: post-gazette.com/life/food/2017/07/26/fresh-blueberries-blah-sweet-tart-recipes/stories/201707260008
