Yeast-free breads form a diverse, easy-going family

Need something easy to add to an otherwise mundane menu? Or something simple to take to a potluck, cookout or another social occasion? What you need is a good quick bread.

They’re called quick because they’re quick to make, at least compared to yeast-risen breads, and they fall halfway between cake and bread. Whether sweet or savory, quick breads can incorporate the best of summer’s fruits and vegetables.

Quick breads have a rich history in American foodways. Life changed for home cooks back in 1846, when baking soda — often called saleratus at the time — was introduced, making the first quick breads easy to bake at home. Mixed with acidic soured milk or buttermilk that might otherwise have gone to waste, baking soda created a chemical reaction that made possible the gas bubbles that leaven these breads.

Further innovation came 10 years later, when baking powder, a mixture of a carbonate or bicarbonate and a weak acid (like tartaric acid, for instance), became available. Baking powder leavens without an acidic ingredient, further expanding the home cook’s repertoire.

The quick bread family is big, including muffins, biscuits, scones, tea cakes and many other siblings. Cornbread is a quick bread, and so is banana bread.

The whole friendly family requires the simplest equipment to prepare. All you need is two bowls — one for dry ingredients, one for wet ingredients — and a wooden spoon or spatula for stirring.

SUMMER FRUITS star in this loaf that’s terrific as a breakfast or afternoon treat. You can substitute any summer fruit, another type of nut and a different extract. Try blueberries or blackberries with pistachios and lemon extract, or peaches with pecans and rum extract. Ice it with a simple glaze of powdered sugar and milk if you wish.

This bread will slice most easily if it’s chilled for a day. Wrap the completely cooled loaf tightly in foil and refrigerate. After its overnight rest, it can be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

CHERRY-ALMOND SWEET BREAD

By Robin Mather

• 2-1/4 cups flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1-1/4 cups milk
• 3 tablespoons cooking oil
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cup pitted, coarsely chopped sweet cherries
• 2/3 cup chopped almonds

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan with cooking oil spray or line with parchment.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, sugars, baking powder and salt.

In a separate bowl, stir together egg, milk, oil and almond extract.

Add egg mixture to flour mixture all at once; stir until just moistened. Fold in cherries and almonds. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Serves 16.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving: 180 calories, 5 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 13 mg cholesterol, 180 mg sodium, 30 g carbohydrate, 15 g sugar, 4 g protein, 1 g fiber.

A BIT of cayenne gives a lively lift to this evergreen favorite. Vary it by substituting diced ham for the bacon and shredded Swiss for the cheddar, or make a vegetarian version with chopped Kalamata olives and feta.

BACON-CHEDDAR QUICK BREAD

By Robin Mather

• 6 slices bacon
• 2-1/4 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3 large eggs
• 1-1/2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Heat oven to 350 degrees; coat a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan with cooking oil spray or line with parchment.

Cook bacon in skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove and drain on paper towels. Reserve 6 tablespoons of bacon drippings. When bacon is cool, crumble or chop coarsely.

In large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and cayenne.

In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk and bacon drippings. If you don’t have enough drippings, use a neutral cooking oil for the rest of the 6 tablespoons.

Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients. Use a spoon or a rubber spatula to stir the two together just until combined, about 1 minute. Fold in bacon and cheese.

Pour batter into loaf pan; bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs, 40-45 minutes. Cool in pan, 10 minutes, then tip the loaf onto a wire rack to cool completely. Serves 16.

Approximate nutrtitional information, per serving: 177 calories, 10 g total fat, 4 g saturated fat, 51 mg cholesterol, 15 g carbohydrate, 329 mg sodium, 1 g sugar, 6 g protein, no fiber.

QUICK TIPS:

>> Don’t overmix the batter. Use just 10 to 12 quick strokes to stir wet ingredients into dry. The batter will show wisps of flour and will be lumpy. Overmixing causes quick breads to deflate after baking, and the baked bread’s interior will have tunnels or holes.

>> Stir add-ins such as nuts or cheese into the batter just before putting it into its baking pan, as pictured above.

>> Bake quick breads in loaf pans, square pans or heavy skillets. Expect a loaf to take an hour or more to bake; a shallower pan just 30 to 40 minutes. Choose your baking vessel to suit your schedule.

>> Bake on the center rack in a preheated 350-degree oven. Check for doneness starting about 10 minutes before you expect it to finish.

>> Quick breads are done when a pick inserted in the middle comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Under-baked breads will collapse; over-baked quick breads can be tough and dry.