zucchini bread again + again
/This recipe marks the discovery of my new favorite ingredient.
Almond meal.
A lot of gluten free baking calls for almond flour, which is ground into a fine flour, from blanched almonds. Almond flour is pricey, and I didn’t have almonds on hand to grind my own. However, I did have almond meal in my cupboard, from my last trip home to Ohio. For some crazy reason, there are no Trader Joe’s in Colorado. When I’m in Ohio, I stock up on my favorites! Almond meal was a new find, that I thought I would try.
Speaking of Ohio…I’ll be there in 2 weeks! Can’t wait!
I had no idea how this recipe was going to turn out.
I expected it to crumble and fall apart. Almond meal has no holding power at all, and with an already gluten-free recipe, I thought this bread was doomed.
Instead of a thick, hearty zucchini bread, it resulted in a much lighter texture. Almost cake-like. If that makes you think, “sounds like it’s probably dry,” think again. The almond meal keeps this bread so moist it will make your head taste buds spin.
Yes, I use the word moist. Even the thesaurus doesn’t have a better suggestion. Unless you want me to call this bread “clammy,” “oozy” or “dampish,” I’m sticking with moist.
It was baked in a 9x9 pan, instead of a loaf pan, but either should work. For whatever reason, I feel the large square pan, suits this recipe best.
No detection of tasting like a gluten-free baked good. At all. Success!
If it was between this recipe and the last, I’m not sure which I would grab first. Version one is more authentic, but version two is just as flavorful, with a fluffier texture.
I’ll just urge you to try both and get back to me.
Zucchini Bread v.II
*high altitude ~5,000ft: oven: 375* milk: 1/4c baking powder: 1/2t + 1/8t
*Feel free to make this in a 9×5 or 8x4 loaf pan, an 8x8 pan, in mini loaf pans, or even in muffin tins. Just remember all of those options will vary the cook time.
I reduced the amount of oil from the past loaf because of the almond meal addition. I figured the extra fat from the almond meal would help keep things extremely moist, so the oil could be reduced. It worked really well! The flax was added to help hold the bread together.
Trader Joes carries almond meal for around $4, if I remember correctly. You can also get it from Natural Grocers for $3.75/lb. The other option is to make your own almond meal + flour at home! *Also note – when recipes call for almond flour, it is not advised to substitute almond meal – they are quite different!
I froze about 1/2 of each trial loaf [5 of them] from last week and we’re already digging in to the freezer stash! Good news, zucchini bread freezes tremendously well, and I’m not even close to getting sick of it. Bad news…we’re almost out. I’ll either have to buy another zucchini, or move on to pumpkin bread. We shall see…
Monday.
Oof.
Ashley
pssst. I spy the beginnings of my photography website! More to come soon!
Almond meal.
A lot of gluten free baking calls for almond flour, which is ground into a fine flour, from blanched almonds. Almond flour is pricey, and I didn’t have almonds on hand to grind my own. However, I did have almond meal in my cupboard, from my last trip home to Ohio. For some crazy reason, there are no Trader Joe’s in Colorado. When I’m in Ohio, I stock up on my favorites! Almond meal was a new find, that I thought I would try.
Speaking of Ohio…I’ll be there in 2 weeks! Can’t wait!
I had no idea how this recipe was going to turn out.
I expected it to crumble and fall apart. Almond meal has no holding power at all, and with an already gluten-free recipe, I thought this bread was doomed.
Instead of a thick, hearty zucchini bread, it resulted in a much lighter texture. Almost cake-like. If that makes you think, “sounds like it’s probably dry,” think again. The almond meal keeps this bread so moist it will make your head taste buds spin.
Yes, I use the word moist. Even the thesaurus doesn’t have a better suggestion. Unless you want me to call this bread “clammy,” “oozy” or “dampish,” I’m sticking with moist.
It was baked in a 9x9 pan, instead of a loaf pan, but either should work. For whatever reason, I feel the large square pan, suits this recipe best.
No detection of tasting like a gluten-free baked good. At all. Success!
If it was between this recipe and the last, I’m not sure which I would grab first. Version one is more authentic, but version two is just as flavorful, with a fluffier texture.
I’ll just urge you to try both and get back to me.
Zucchini Bread v.II
- 1/2c raw buckwheat flour [ground from raw groats]
- 3/4c GF oat flour [ground from certified GF steel cut oat groats]
- 3/4c almond meal
- 1T ground flax meal
- 2T sunflower oil [or other]
- 1/4c unsweetened applesauce
- 1c grated zucchini, drained
- 7T brown rice syrup [honey or maple syrup]
- 3T sucanat
- 2t vanilla extract
- 2t cinnamon
- 1/2t salt
- 3/4t baking powder
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2c chopped walnuts
- 3T milk of choice
- Preheat your oven to 350* and grease + flour or line a 9x9 pan with parchment paper. To grease + flour, grease all sides of the pan and add 1-2T of flour, knocking it around so all sides are covered. Turn the pan over your sink and tap all sides, so the excess falls out.
- In a large bowl combine all dry ingredients, except the walnuts, and mix well.
- In a medium bowl, whisk eggs together then add in oil, applesauce, milk, brown rice syrup, and vanilla. Whisk to combine.
- Mix in zucchini to the bowl of wet ingredients.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir gently, until just combined. Over-stirring will cause a gummy texture.
- Gently fold in the walnuts and then pour into your pan and spread to even out.
- Bake centered, on the middle rack for 28-35min. Test with a toothpick for doneness.
- Let sit in the pan to cool for 10min, before sliding a knife around the edge to release from the pan. Cut into squares with a sharp knife, and carefully remove with the help of a fork or flexible spatula.
*high altitude ~5,000ft: oven: 375* milk: 1/4c baking powder: 1/2t + 1/8t
*Feel free to make this in a 9×5 or 8x4 loaf pan, an 8x8 pan, in mini loaf pans, or even in muffin tins. Just remember all of those options will vary the cook time.
I reduced the amount of oil from the past loaf because of the almond meal addition. I figured the extra fat from the almond meal would help keep things extremely moist, so the oil could be reduced. It worked really well! The flax was added to help hold the bread together.
Trader Joes carries almond meal for around $4, if I remember correctly. You can also get it from Natural Grocers for $3.75/lb. The other option is to make your own almond meal + flour at home! *Also note – when recipes call for almond flour, it is not advised to substitute almond meal – they are quite different!
I froze about 1/2 of each trial loaf [5 of them] from last week and we’re already digging in to the freezer stash! Good news, zucchini bread freezes tremendously well, and I’m not even close to getting sick of it. Bad news…we’re almost out. I’ll either have to buy another zucchini, or move on to pumpkin bread. We shall see…
Monday.
Oof.
Ashley
pssst. I spy the beginnings of my photography website! More to come soon!
