Blueberry-lemon ricotta bread is a bite of spring
On one cold, rainy morning, I was doing errands and hadn’t eaten breakfast. I stopped in a little coffee shop and eyed a lush, blueberry quick bread in the window. I asked for a slice along with a foamy cappuccino.
As I took a bite, I wondered how the baker had developed such a rich, moist quick bread. I asked the baker and discovered that his trick was using ricotta cheese. He said it offered a creaminess and
BLUEBERRY-LEMON RICOTTA LOAF
Makes: 8 to 10 servings
1 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature 1 cup sugar
3 large eggs at room temperature 1 tablespoon minced lemon zest
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup ricotta cheese (whole milk preferred) 1 ½ cup blueberries
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-by-5-inch nonstick loaf pan with baker’s spray. Sift together 1 ¾ cups flour, baking soda and baking powder in a medium mixing bowl. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed or in a food processor moistness that other dairy products like buttermilk or sour cream didn’t achieve.
As I left the coffee shop, I decided I was going to reproduce this happy bread that felt like a burst of springtime with its lemony zest and extract. My take on that cafe’s quick bread is a cinch to put together. Combining lemon and vanilla extracts add to the loaf a bump of subtle tartness and sweetness.
Serve it for breakfast, for a snack, at tea time or as a pick-me-up when your energy is waning. This would also be wonderful for Mother’s Day brunch.
fitted with a metal blade, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in eggs, zest, and lemon and vanilla extracts and mix until well blended.
3. Change mixer’s speed setting to low, add half the flour mixture and mix until combined. Add half the ricotta, mixing constantly, and then add the rest of the flour and ricotta.
4. Combine the blueberries in a small bowl. Sprinkle in 2 tablespoons flour and mix to coat the fruit. Remove excess flour. Fold the berries evenly into the batter, making sure not to break up the berries. If using a food processor, pulse a few times until just blended, keeping berries whole.
5. Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan and bake for about 55 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack. When cool, place on a platter, slice and serve.*