CRANBERRY APRICOT LOAF (A KEKS RECIPE)

This sweet bread is soft, moist, crumbly and loaded with the sweet tang of cranberries and apricots. Keks is a traditional Russian Christmas dessert bread. It's a cross between a coffee cake and a fruit cake; definitely a comfort food. Try it!

Prep Time    : 30 mins

Cook Time   : 1 hour 10 mins

Total Time    : 1 hour 40 mins

Servings      : 1 loaf

INGREDIENTS

·     1 1/2 cups plain kefir this is not the same as buttermilk; found it at Fred Meyer

·         1 tsp baking soda

·         1 1/2 cups granulated white sugar

·         2 large eggs cold is ok

·         1 stick 8 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted (but not hot)

·         4 Tbsp extra light olive oil

·         1/2 tsp vanilla extract

·         2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour

·         1 tsp clementine or orange zest

·         1/2 cup dried cranberries craisins

·         1/2 cup dried apricots

INSTRUCTIONS

1.   Preheat the Oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a bread loaf pan.

2. Whisk together 1 1/2 cups kefir and 1 tsp baking soda together in a medium bowl and set aside for 20 minutes. It will look fluffier when it's ready:

3.   Chop dried apricots into pieces about the size of your dried cranberries. In a medium bowl, cover craisins and dried apricots with boiling hot water and let sit two (2) minutes, then drain well and set aside to dry in a colander.

4.   In a large mixing bowl, beat together eggs and sugar until pale in color (3 min on high speed). Mix in 1 stick melted butter (not hot butter, just warm), 4 Tbsp olive oil and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract. Stir to combine.

5.   Whisk in the prepared kefir and baking soda until well blended.

6.   Mix in the 2 cups flour until everything is well blended.

7.   Finally fold in the craisins, chopped apricots and clementine zest.

8.  Transfer the batter to your prepared baking pan and give it a little shake to even out the top.

9. Bake in the center of the oven at 350 for 60 to 70 minutes. Check the center with a wooden toothpick. It's done when the toothpick comes out clean. Let the loaf cool inside the pan until cool enough to handle, then transfer to a wire rack to cool to room temperature. Once it's cooled, dust with powdered sugar and enjoy.

NOTES

·     PS. Make sure your bread isn't too close to the top of the oven while baking or the top will get too dark.

·         PPS. You don't want to add powdered sugar to a warm loaf or it will melt onto the bread. Let it cool completely to room temp.

Nutrition Facts

Cranberry Apricot Loaf (A Keks Recipe)

Amount Per Serving (1 g)

Calories 42.8

% Daily Value*

Total Carbohydrates 10.7g4%

Sugars 3.6g

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Recipe from natashaskitchen.com

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