Cranberry-Orange Bread

It is the time of year for cranberries.  I love fresh cranberry sauce and cranberry bread.  This bread recipe pairs cranberries with orange. 

There are only 2 tablespoons of butter in the bread making it low fat but it is amazingly full of flavor.  Pecans add further texture and taste.

Cranberry-Orange Bread

1 1/2 cups pecan halves

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup sugar

Juice and grated rind of one orange

2 tablespoons melted butter

Boiling water

1 egg

1/4 cup milk

1 cup chopped cranberries

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.  Spread the pecan halves on a cookie sheet and place in the oven to toast gently while you proceed with the recipe.  Increase heat to 350 degrees when pecans have been removed from oven.

Sift together into a mixing bowl the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda.  Add the sugar and stir gently to mix.  

Place the orange juice and grated rind in a Pyrex or other heatproof measuring cup that holds at least one cup.  Add the melted butter and enough boiling water to make three-quarters of a cup of liquid.  

In a small bowl, beat the egg with a fork.  Add the hot liquid to the egg, beating continuously to mix well.  

Add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients.  Add the milk and stir with a spoon to mix.  Remove the pecan halves from the oven and when cool enough to handle, chop them coarsely.  You should have approximately one cup.  Add the pecans to the bread mixture.  Add the roughly chopped cranberries.  

Spray a bread pan with cooking spray to prevent sticking and pour bread batter into pan.  Place pan in oven and bake for about 50-55 minutes or until bread springs back when touched lightly or toothpick comes out clean.