Sweet Cranberry quick bread

I love holiday baking. To preface any celebration I almost always spend the days before baking. This Yule's dessert menu will include banana bread (p134 K.W.) cranberry bread, chocolate flourless cake, almond cake, and a cheese cake. (Recipes in post)

I found einkorn flour this week at my corner Grocery Outlet. I am so lucky that the owner stocks a lot of organic and gluten-free ingredients. They alway carry good priced organic produce (Potatoes, onions, spinach, carrots, lettuce, celery, etc.) milk, and eggs and often have yogurt and even organic butter.

I visit several times a week, foraging what I can and create my meal plans around the ingredients I find. And I always stock up on organic staples, like flour, when it is available.

The bread in the back is the banana bread from my book Kitchen Witchery.

The two loafs in the front are cranberry, the left made with a blend of einkorn and all purpose. The one on the right a blend of einkorn and King Arthur's gluten free measure for measure replacement.

Elevate the winter holidays with the festive energy of the cranberry. Cranberries hold protective energy to cleanse, heal, encourage communication, inspire love and promote bonding.

Sweet Cranberry Quick Bread

The flavor of this quick bread is carried by the dried cranberries and the butter so try to use a good quality butter.

You will need:

1 cup flour or a gluten free measure for measure replacement

1/2 cup einkorn, whole wheat, or another ancient grain flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup milk

3 Tablespoons sour cream or plain greek yoghurt

1 cup dried cranberries

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Spray a 9″ loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside. In a bowl, sift the flours together with the baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add eggs, vanilla, milk, and sour cream and mix until smooth. Stir in the flour mixture and the cranberries. Then spoon batter into baking pan and bake for 1 hour.

Almond Cake

I love this recipe. It bakes up into a delicious dependable cake that stays fresh tasting for a week or more. During the holidays I like to bake it up in mass and hand out to my neighbors. This year I baked 5 in one day to give out as gifts.

You will need:

1 box of almond paste (7 or 8 ounces)

1 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups of flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup of butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon almond extract

sliced candied almonds to finish

Heat oven to 350. Spray a springform pan with cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper. In a small bowl stir together the sour cream and baking soda. Set aside for the mixture to rise, about 10 minutes. In another bowl, stir together the flour and salt. Set aside. In a mixing bowl cream the butter, sugar, and eggs until smooth. Crumble in the almond paste and mix until incorporate. Stir in the sour cream mixture mix and then fold in the flour until no streaks remain. Scrape batter into pan and bake for about 55 minutes. The top should spring back when you press it lightly.

Country Cheese Cake

You will need:

For the crust

a 9 inch springform pan

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

6 Tablespoons almond flour

6 Tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup butter, melted

2 Tablespoons heavy cream

For the first layer

16 ounces of cream cheese

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

For the second layer

1 1/2 cup sour cream

2 Tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

a pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 375 F. Pour graham cracker crumbs, almond flour, and sugar into pan and stir together. Add butter and cream and stir. Press into bottom of pan.

In a mixing bowl beat together cream cheese, eggs, and sugar until well beaten. Mix in lemon juice and salt.

Pour over crust and bake in hot oven for 20 minutes. Cheese should just set.

In a mixing bowl mix together sour cream, sugar and vanilla. Remove cake from oven and carefully pour on second layer without disturbing the first.

Bake at 425 for 10 minutes. Let cake cool before serving.