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Dark Chocolate Cranberry Walnut Bread

Let’s get real here.  I have a lot of issues.  I have issues with people who walk around barefooted, I have issues with lipstick, and I have serious issues with quick breads.  Quick breads are breads which use baking soda and/or baking powder as a rising agent rather than yeast.  They are kind of like a muffin in loaf form.  My “issue”comes down to this; I LOVE quick breads (heck, I love any bread), but when I’m baking these wonderful lovelies I feel some kind of overwhelming sense of power.  My thought process is this; quick breads are a blank canvas, a canvas I can cover in any thing and everything I find in my pantry.  Dried cherries!  Pistachios!  Oh my word, flaky sea salt!  It’s a real deal problem as I don’t know when to stop adding.  Alas, it happened to me again and I ended up eating way more of this bread than my skinny jeans wanted me to.  This particular bread was one of the happy results of a quick bread power frenzy.  It’s sweet, tart, full of dark chocolate, walnuts, and everything wonderful.  

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It’s also one of those breads that I don’t know when to stop eating.  Turns out my issue makes for some seriously major afternoon gorging.  I’m embracing my issue, let’s make some bread. 

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And our team includes; cranberries, walnuts, dark chocolate, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, orange zest, all-purpose flour, sugar, kosher salt,  baking powder, baking soda, eggs, and vegetable oil.  

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Whisk to combine cinnamon, ginger, orange zest, flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda, set aside.  In a separate bowl beat together eggs and vegetable oil.  Fold in dry ingredients along with chocolate, walnuts and cranberries.

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Do not over mix, the batter with be very thick and lumpy, leave it alone.  Pour batter into a loaf pan lined with parchment paper.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a skewer poked in the middle comes out clean.  

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Embrace your issues and eat bread!  

Sincerely,

Pedantic Foodie

Dark Chocolate Cranberry Walnut Bread 

makes one loaf 

  • 3/4 cup walnuts (roughly chopped)
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
  • 2 oz dark chocolate (roughly chopped)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 2 teaspoons orange zest 
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil

Whisk to combine cinnamon, ginger, flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda, set aside.  In a large bowl beat eggs and add oil.  Fold in dry ingredients along with chocolate, walnuts and cranberries.  Do not over mix, the batter will be thick and lumpy.  Pour into a loaf pan lined with parchment paper.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour and 15 minutes.  Enjoy!