Saturday, March 3, 2012

Apple, zucchini and sultana loaf

I was quite amazed, on reading the comments on my last post, to realise just how non-summery the Eastern states of Australia have been this year. With Western Australia welcoming autumn with some >35'C days, I'm left thinking that it would be rather nice if we could just average things out. This picture of the Australia Day forecast at the end of January seems to sum it up rather well (excuse the language...);


I'm sure it didn't used to be like this!

Sadly, none of us have much direct control over the weather (unless you have a skill I don't know about, in which case I'd be delighted to hear from you). However, I'd like to think that this apple, zucchini and sultana loaf could suit most forecasts. A warm slice, with optional almond butter, a cup of tea and a good book, would be a nice match for rain peltering down outside.


A slice from the fridge, optionally crumbled into yoghurt, would be an enjoyable inside-out-of-the-heat snack.


In fact, it could work in a lot of ways, because this loaf is rather versatile.

Inspired by several of my existing recipes (namely, apple and zucchini muffins, ugly duckling muffins, and apricot and sultana bread), this reminds me most of the ugly duckling muffins that featured earlier this year with apple, zucchini and carrot. In this case, sultanas provide some added sweetness to the loaf, and allow it to stand alone as a plain-ish snack.

If you want something a little more decadent, honey, the aforementioned almond butter or yoghurt, or even some drizzled icing would be worthy serving companions.

Apple, zucchini and sultana loaf
Slightly sweet and easy to adapt to taste and occasion
Vegan, low in fat and with no added sugar
Makes 1 loaf - approximately 12 serves


Ingredients
1 1/2 cups wholemeal flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup non-dairy milk (I actually used unsweetened plain coconut milk, but any would work)
1/3 cup apple sauce
1 tsp vanilla
1 zucchini, grated (leave the skin on)
2 medium apples, peeled and diced


Method
Preheat the oven to 180'C and prepare a non-stick loaf tin.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, milk, apple sauce and vanilla. Mix well to combine.

Add the grated zucchini and diced apples and mix through thoroughly. Pour into the loaf tin.

Bake for 25 minutes at 180'C, then turn the oven off and leave to cool in the oven for an additional 20 - 30 minutes. This should allow the middle to set without the top becoming crispy.


I don't think you can go wrong with a loaf that includes fruit and vegetables and is still enjoyable to eat. Chocolate it isn't...but it will leave room for some chocolate later.


What is your favourite vegetable to make baked goods with? I think zucchini has come to rival carrot as mine!

13 comments:

  1. I love vegetables and fruit in baking - pumpkin is probably one of my favourites.

    As for the weather - food falls into two categories - one is for when it is so hot you can't bear to turn on the oven and the rest is for when ovens come into the equation. This is especially the case as E will eat any cold weather food in hot weather as long as I can face making it.

    I am curious about the map you show because it doesn't mention darwin weather which seems to be quite different from other capitals and it would be interesting to list it.

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    1. Mr Bite is exactly the same - he would eat soup on a very hot day if I served it. Most odd!

      You're right about the map, it does miss out Darwin. Perhaps the fickle nature of far NT defeated the creator?! It would have been nice if it had been included though.

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  2. oooh I'm loving all the different textures and colors in this!

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    1. Thank you - they did make me smile too :) The green specks seem to add something!

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  3. I love cooking with carrots.. although I don't love peeling and chopping and grating them! I have not cooked with zucchini before- I don't like it much by itself so I just don't buy it.
    I do like it when I get zucchini breads at bakeries!

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    Replies
    1. Carrot peeling isn't my favourite thing either. It's such a simple process but it becomes bigger in my mind!

      I only discovered zucchini in baking last year, as I wasn't a fan of it plain either. I've never been able to taste it in baked goods though, and it makes things really moist. I've come to enjoy it in savoury form over time too now, although I still need it to be flavoured from other ingredients.

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  4. Replies
    1. It really made me laugh when I first saw it :)

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  5. Yes, averaging things out would be nice. Some family friends of ours are stuck on their farm just outside Canberra (40minutes from me) because a huge section of road has plain washed away. Ugh.

    I would happily have this loaf with almond butter as well as the chocolate I'm currently eating while watching Downton Abbey with my parents, listening to the rain! Nom nom.

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    Replies
    1. I hope your family friends get their road back soon :( How horrible. Flooding is something you just don't expect to happen, especially in summer.

      If you did have this loaf with almond butter and chocolate, whilst watching Downton Abbey in the rain, you would pretty much epitomise all the things I think of when I say I love autumn :)

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  6. Not flooded on the Sunshine Coast where I am but it IS raining. It was fucking hot last week and today it's cool.

    Feel sorry for all the people under water. They could do with a loaf of this apple, zucchini and sultana bread.

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  7. Correction. 10 minutes ago the BOM announced a severe weather warning for the Sunshine Coast. We might be flooded yet. :(

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    Replies
    1. Oh I hope not :( I feel sorry for the people under water too - I hope your area remains above water even if it's no longer dry.

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