Application Guide

Place the ingredients in the pan according to the order in the manufacturer’s instruc-
tions, adding the fruit and all of the soaking liquid with the liquid ingredients. Set
the crust for dark, if your machine offers crust control for this setting, and pro-
gram for the Quick Bread/Cake cycle; press Start. The batter will be thick,
smooth, and full of evenly dispersed fruit. When the machine beeps at the end of
the cycle, press Stop/Reset and program for the Bake Only cycle for an additional
20 minutes to finish baking. The bara brith is done when it shrinks slightly from
the sides of the pan, the sides are dark brown, and the top is firm to a gentle pres-
sure when touched with your finger. A toothpick or metal skewer will come out
clean when inserted into the center of the cake.
When the bread is done, immediately remove the pan from the machine. Let the
bread stand in the pan for 10 minutes before turning it out, right side up, to cool
completely on a rack before slicing. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store in the
refrigerator.
The Right Ingredient: Baking Powder and Baking
Soda
Quick bread loaves always use a chemical leavener, such as baking powder
or baking soda, besides the mechanical action of creaming or beating in
plenty of air, to lighten their batters. When the acid and alkaline proportions
are balanced in a batter, these leaveners create a chemical reaction that pro-
duces lots of carbon dioxide (CO
2
) gas bubbles that expand existing air
pockets when they come in contact with liquid and then heat. The trapped
bubbles also create steam; the final product of all that swelling in the oven is
a nicely rounded, moist loaf.
Baking Powder
Modern baking powders are double acting, which simply means they are a
mixture of alkaline and acid ingredients: baking soda (sodium bicarbonate),
cornstarch (a stabilizer to keep it dry during storage), and sodium aluminum
sulfate (some form of phosphate salt), making it a chemical leavener that is
complete within itself no matter what type of liquid or fruit is used. Baking
powder reacts twice, once when moistened with liquid and again in the hot
oven. The baking powder produces carbon dioxide to leaven the batter and
flour, and egg proteins will set with the heat and steam around the bubbles,
giving texture to the bread. To avoid a slight bitterness in the baked good,
use no more than 1
1
/
2
teaspoons of baking powder to 1 cup of flour. When
doubling or tripling a recipe, cut back the total amount of chemical leavener
by one quarter. I prefer a superior brand of nonaluminum baking powder that
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