Ellie Krieger’s Pumpkin Bread with Cranberries

Pumpkin Bread with Cranberries

(Makes 8 servings)

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour or whole-wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 2/3 cup honey
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 large egg white
• 1 cup fresh whole cranberries

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, baking soda, cinnamon, baking powder, nutmeg, allspice, and salt. In another large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, honey, oil, eggs, and egg white until well combined. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mixing just enough to combine evenly. Gently stir in the cranberries.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the top is browned and a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer the bread to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (1-inch thick slice)

• Calories: 290
• Total Fat: 11 g
• Saturated Fat: 1 g
• Sodium: 290 mg
• Carbohydrate: 45 g
• Fiber: 3 g
• Protein: 5 g

Copyright 2011 Ellie Krieger. All rights reserved

Gingersnap Cookies with Lemon Icing

Shortening is the ultimate determining factor in gingersnap texture. A stick of nondairy shortening gives them serious snap. The one I use contains no trans-fats or additives; it is a blend of oils. For me, a cookie’s crunch matters as much as its flavor. But if chewy cookies are your thing, read on.

Use a nondairy soft spread for a softer result. Cookies come out of the oven crispish, but turn chewy after they sit overnight. If you want softer snaps, know that the batter will be too soft to shape into balls. It needs to be dropped from a spoon onto your baking sheet.

Both shortenings make cookies with the same warm, zingy flavor, so bake them to please your preference. And either way, the cookies keep for a week and are great for sharing at holiday cookie swaps. (To make them look especially festive, sprinkle a pinch of red, green, or multicolor sugar onto the wet frosting.)

Gingersnap with Lemon Icing

(Makes 24 cookies)

Ingredients

• ¾ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• ½ cup whole-wheat pastry flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 ¼ teaspoons ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ⅓ cup dairy-free buttery shortening sticks
• ½ cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons
• 2 tablespoons unsulphured molasses
• 1 large egg white
• ⅓ cup confectioners’ sugar
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In mixing bowl, whisk together both flours, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, pepper, and salt.
3. In another bowl, use electric mixer on medium-high speed to beat shortening sticks with ½ cup sugar for 2 minutes. Add molasses and egg white and beat for 3 minutes. Set mixer on low speed and mix in dry ingredients just to combine–leaving white streaks is better than overmixing. Batter will form soft ball.
4. Place remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in wide, shallow bowl. Pinch off about 1 tablespoon batter and roll it between your palms, forming 1″ ball. Place ball in bowl with sugar and roll to coat it, and then place on light-colored, ungreased baking sheet. Discard leftover sugar. Repeat, spacing balls 2″ apart. Using back of glass, press to flatten each ball into 1 ⅓” disk.
5. Bake cookies for 10 minutes. For glaze: In small bowl, combine confectioners’ sugar with lemon juice, mixing until sugar is completely dissolved.
6. When cookies are done, immediately transfer with spatula to wire cooling racks. Using tip of knife, spread ¼ teaspoon glaze on top of each warm cookie. Cool completely. Store in cookie tin for up to 1 week.

Peach Johnnycake

My great grandma lived in an old farmhouse on hundreds of acres of land with some horses and a fresh water springhouse. She had loads of peach trees on her property, and if we went out there and picked ’em, she’d make her Peach Johnnycake.

This recipe features corn flour from Wild Hive Farm and celebrates the revival of growing and milling grain in the Hudson River Valley region. It’s also adaptable to whatever fruit you find at your local farmers market.

Peach Johnnycake
(Serves 8)

Ingredients

• 2 cups peaches, peeled and sliced
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup corn flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 9-inch cake pan or springform pan.
2. Gently toss peaches with 2 tablespoons sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
3. In another bowl, whisk together corn flour, baking powder, and salt.
4. In separate bowl, beat ½ cup sugar and butter until creamy. Beat in eggs, sour cream, and vanilla.
5. Add corn flour mixture to butter mixture and stir just enough to combine. Pour batter into cake pan and spread in an even layer.
6. Arrange peaches on top of batter. Bake for 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
7. Sprinkle a little sugar over cake and allow to cool on wire rack.
8. Slice and serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.