I often buy fresh produce because I like the look of it. It may be that something looks exotic, or uber-fresh or smells amazing, and I buy it just because I feel I can’t miss the opportunity to eat it.
Standing in the fruit market, while popping the produce into my basket, I rack my brain for great recipes to spring to mind – and they usually don’t. I’ve come to realise that I am a slow boil recipe developer and I need a few hours or overnight to have the perfect recipe spring to mind for my fruit market finds.
It’s funny the things you learn about yourself when you build your cooking confidence. As I started this blog to become more creative with food, I am delighted that I can now develop my own great recipes outside the flavour profile of Italian food.
Because of my need to consider my star ingredient purchase and run through a few ideas in my mind before a lightbulb moment strikes, it has become extremely important that I maintain my fridge and pantry staples at all times so that I can avoid multiple trips to the supermarket.
This Apple and Strawberry Bread is one of those recipes that was born out of the purchase of wonderfully crisp and fragrant Golden Delicious apples and perfectly formed ruby red strawberries at the fruit market. I had bought them without the intention of using them together, but after a days thinking, I decided that I would love to try them together in a the style of banana bread.
I decided to make it as a Monday morning treat for my wonderful colleagues. If any of you remember my Gluten Free Raspberry Ricotta Cake you will remember by gluten intolerant friend, Justine. Knowing Justine would miss out on trying my cake if I used normal flour, and excited at the prospect of coming up with my own gluten-free cake recipe, I relished the opportunity to try and make it gluten-free.
Reading through Rowie Dillon’s Indulge cookbook a few weeks earlier really taught me a few things about gluten-free baking and I was delighted when the bread came together easily and rose beautifully when baked.
I didn’t want to cut into it until I got to work so it was an anxious wait until the 10:30 coffee run when we all cut into it. After first bite, I was a little shocked at how great it tasted. It was moist and light and the apple and strawberry flavours were balanced nicely. My colleagues agreed that unless you were told that it was gluten-free you would never have guessed. A successful first try me thinks!
GLUTEN-FREE APPLE AND STRAWBERRY BREAD
1 large Golden Delicious apple
1 tbsp butter
1 1/2 cup rice flour
1/2 cup almond meal
3 tsp gluten-free baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup skim milk
1 egg
3 tbsp light ricotta
1 punnet strawberries, cut in 1cm pieces.
Preheat oven to 180° Celsius (see measurements page for Fahrenheit conversion).
Cut apple into small 1cm cubes. Melt butter in a fry pan over medium-high heat. Add apple cubes and saute until softened. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a large bowl sift in rice flour, almond meal and baking powder. Add cinnamon and sugar and stir well to combine.
To the bowl add milk, egg and ricotta and stir till just combined. Add apple and strawberry pieces and fold through till they are evenly dispersed.
Pour the mixture into a lined loaf tin and bake until the top is browned and a skewer comes out clean when inserted in the centre (about 50 mins). Remove from oven and set aside until cooled. Once cool, remove from loaf tin and enjoy.
Darling, seriously. Are you trying to make me fat before my wedding? You need to post food that is not delicious or gluten free until AFTER I'm married!
I'm the same as you when I go to the market. I find a fruit or veggie I just have to have and then go home and ponder on what to do with it.
This is a nice combination and so beautifully baked. I need to make more gluten free breads. Although I have no problem with regular bread, as I've gotten older it doesn't sit with me as we'll as those I've tried that are gluten free. I will give this a try.
I am the same too! I often find produce before the recipe finds me. I like to think that it is an exciting way to cook! Love this recipe , and i have some plump strawbs in my fridge just crying to be made into bread!
Why would you want to migrate your blog? It is absolutely flawless the way it is!! I love the combination of apples with strawberries what a unique, but imaginably delicious. I also love the addition of the ricotta in the recipe for a bit more creaminess, I'm sure it is as divine as it looks!
I'm always buying stuff then figuring out what to do with it! It used to take me awhile, too, to figure out recipes, but most of the time I'm much faster now – indeed, I often decide in the grocery store what I'll do with it. Took an awful lot of cooking to reach that stage, though. Great looking bread – really nice flavor combo you've devised. We haven't done much gluten-free baking, but probably should – we know more and more people who don't tolerate gluten, and we really need to produce our own stuff rather than buy it. Good post – thanks.
What a unique bread! Never would have thought of combing strawberries and apples in a bread much less putting strawberries in a bread at all! It sure made a beautiful loaf and it does look moist and delicious!
I must admit, I am the opposite. I find or think of a recipe and then send my husband shopping. If we had great fresh produce markets here, it might be different but we don't. The markets in Italy are so inspirational and I could see myself getting carried away with what I bought over there but not here. Your recipe sounds moist and delicious.
Oh man, apple and strawberry bread? That concoction sounds absolutely amazing! Those fluffy innards are winning me over…. you've done it yet again! 😉
Love the combo here! Your GF friend is one lucky girl 🙂
What an absolutely gorgeous idea – that loaf looks lovely and moist.
Yum! I love the idea of apples and strawberries together in bread form. I haven't done very much gluten-free baking, but I am totally inspired by you to experiment more with it.
What an amazing bread….Definitely something I wanna try one day! thanks for sharing
I love the look of this one. Yay for gluten-free! I love Rowie's cookbook too. So many amazing recipes to try!
That looks gorgeous! Just found out that my mom in law has gluten intolerance. Will surprise he with your "Gluten Free Apple and Strawberry Bread" although I have no idea where to get almond meal yet. Thanks!