Monday, May 3, 2010

Chocolate-Hazelnut Track Bread - Blue Monday





From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This easy to make quick bread is a perfect accompaniment to coffee and it makes a lovely addition to a breakfast or brunch table. It's a perfect example of what James Beard called a "track" bread. In his parlance, any bread that had a traceable filling was called a track bread. While his cookbooks have numerous example of them, all delicious I might add, today's recipe comes from Taste of Home magazine. This bread is filled with hazelnuts and chocolate and it really is quite lovely. I chose it because of its hazelnut track. Hazelnuts are also called filberts but the extension services here in the Willamette Valley prefer to call them hazelnuts. While Oregon produces 98 percent of the hazelnuts grown in the United States, that amounts to only 3 percent of the world's supply. That means that Turkey, Spain and Italy are actually the world's major suppliers. Hazelnuts are not widely popular in the United State. They are more expensive then other nuts and they have a reputation for being difficult to skin. Actually, it's not all that difficult to rid them of their pesky covering. The traditional method involves roasting the hazelnuts for about 10 minutes in a moderately hot oven. The nuts are then wrapped in a clean towel and rubbed until most of the skin comes off. A newer, easier method suggests boiling the nuts for 4 minutes in a quart of water to which 1/4 cup baking soda has been added. The nuts are them rinsed in cold water which will cause the skins to pop off. Once the skins are removed, the hazelnuts are roasted until they are lightly brown. Then there is my way. I pay a premium and buy my hazelnuts already skinned. Truth be told, I've been known to buy them already chopped as well. I really like this bread and I think you will too. Here's the recipe.

Chocolate-Hazelnut Track Bread
...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Taste of Home magazine

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
Topping:
1/3 cup finely chopped hazelnuts
1/3 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Set aside.
2) In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in extracts. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream. Batter will be thick.
3) Spoon half of batter into prepared loaf pan. Combine topping ingredients; sprinkle two-thirds of topping over batter. Top with remaining batter. Sprinkle with remaining topping; press down lightly.
4) Bake for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Yield: 1 loaf (12 slices).

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Chocolate and Hazelnut Pie with Vanilla Cream - One Perfect Bite
Bavarian Hazelnut Cake - One Perfect Bite
Chocolate Babka - One Perfect Bite

This post is being linked to:
Smiling Sally - Blue Monday

54 comments :

Louis la Vache said...

Regarding the popularity of hazelnuts here vs. Europe - the shelves of the grocery stores in Europe have displays of Nutella larger than displays of peanut butter here.

Foley said...

This really looks yummy! Love the taste of hazelnuts..Thanks for the new tip on getting rid of the skins! (But I like the idea of just buying them already skinned)

3 hungry tummies said...

Must be so flavoursome..I love the big smile on the bread, certainly making the blue monday less blue for me :)

Angie's Recipes said...

Mary, thanks for sharing a "SMILE" hazelnut bread for this gloomy and COLD Monday!

Sushma Mallya said...

Perfet & yummy bread, love hazelnut...& have a wonderful week ahead mary..

Cherine said...

Gorgeous bread! Looks really tasty too!!!

Sonia ~ Nasi Lemak Lover said...

This looks good and love the taste of hazelnuts too!

Allie and Pattie said...

Mary, I'm with you! "Skinning" hazelnuts was never a favorite pasttime! Lovely bread- and excellent with a cup of espresso
xoxo Pattie

Diane said...

This looks absolutely delicious. Another couple of months and our hazel nut tree will be laden so perhaps I will give it a 'go' with our own nuts. On the other hand maybe the roasting and skinning is better done by someone else!! Diane

luna said...

Ohoh....I'm hungry, if I see your delicate cake!
Beautiful Blue post!
Happy Blue Monday..Luna

Sandy aka Doris the Great said...

Thanks for visiting me, Mary. Your blog is so yummy! I love the "track" bread thingie.

And I love the sign telling us that there's a hazelnut division and that a receiving station. When you've only seen a small display at a supermarket, having a whole plant devoted to hazelnuts is a blast!

I can't wait to read the rest of your posts. (I too love food and love to eat. I am on a quest to find wonderful eats!)

Martha said...

This sounds yummy but hazelnuts are hard to find on the prairie -- except ones in the shell at Christmastime!

From the Kitchen said...

Mary, thanks so much for this recipe. A dear friend is coming to visit soon. When she lived in Lake Oswego, she sent me many packages of hazelnuts. She now lives in Fond du Lac, WI. What a treat it will be to serve her this "smiling" bread.

Best,
Bonnie

Barbara said...

Interestingly enough, I have never cared much for hazelnuts in my "sweet" cooking. I like them in savory things though. And agree,no matter which method you use (although the boiling method makes for cleaner nuts) they are a pain to skin!
This also means (shock) I really don't like Nutella. I almost always substitute when I see hazelnuts in a sweet bread and probably will here too. (sorry) But I love the almond flavoring in this bread..rather unusual. Perhaps some sliced almonds would be good instead of hazelnuts.

Becky K. said...

I've not used hazelnuts in anything yet...but I might make that assignment to my Chelsea who is working toward being a pastry chef. This would be a great exercise for her.

Have a great Monday!

Becky K.
Hospitality Lane

helenabelle said...

What a great lookin' piece of bread and a recipe that I'll certainly try!
Have a great day~
Ann
@
The Tattered Tassel

Anonymous said...

thanks for visiting my blog Mary! I'll be back to check yours out later!

Alecia said...

Will be trying this one soon- love hazelnuts and so does my daughter-i am like you- buy them ready to go in the bowl-tried one time to skin myself....i enjoy your commentary preceding your recipes

SmilingSally said...

Your method of skinning the hazelnut is the same as mine: spend the extra $ and buy 'em already skinned! Happy Blue Monday, Mary.

Cathy said...

I'm a big hazelnut fan as well, Mary, and I often substitute them for other nuts in recipes. I can never figure out why, when we live in the heart of hazelnut country, they are twice as expensive as other nuts. Just doesn't seem right.

Valérie said...

I snack on hazelnuts these days: we bought too many, and now I'm doing damage control. I personally love them though, so no problem!

The loaf looks like it's "smiling" in the picture! :-)

Kim said...

That is really nice that you have such a fresh source for hazelnuts! I would definitely buy them skinned if at all possible. The chocolate hazelnut bread sounds so lovely for breakfast, snack, lunch....I could go on:D

Cool Lassi(e) said...

Dear Mary,
I am currently enrolled in a Turkish cooking class..every session I am treated with plenty of hazelnuts and in the previous class they taught me a divine hazelnut topped dessert..it was awesome..I love nutella and so does my toddler son. The bread looks divine!

gengen said...

Love to bite some...Happy blue Monday.

LV said...

Just dropping by for lunch with you on Blue Monday. Keep on cooking.

Julie said...

I love it! It looks like it's smiling!

Maria said...

I love that swirl! I want a slice:)

Claudia said...

I appreciate easy ways to skin the hazelnuts! Must try your method. The bread is indeed lovely.

Ana Powell said...

Its even smiling at me x

Jeannie said...

Scrumptious, cheerful looking bread:D Can't go wrong with that.

The Diva on a Diet said...

How can it be a blue Monday when your bread is smiling so? :) It looks exquisite, Mary!

Have a wonderful week!

DailyChef said...

I've been away from your blog too long! And to have this amazing-looking bread be the first thing I read/see this morning? Simply perfect.

Joanne said...

Chocolate and hazelnut together have a tendency to make my head spin. What a delicious bread!

The Blonde Duck said...

It looks like the bread is smiling!

Ann said...

Awesome.. fabulous pic and mouth watering recipe

PeggyR said...

Ooo another yummy recipe! Hope you are having a great day.

Nisha said...

Love hazelhut and the bread look delicious.

Juliana said...

Mary, this cake looks so tasty, nothing like serving a bread with a big smile :-)

Hootin Anni said...

I was just reading about the benefits of health by eating dark chocolate daily. Now this here is an added pleasure. Yum.

Inspired by eRecipeCards said...

That is one happy looking slice of bread!

A Bite of Country Cupcakes said...

How Brilliant is your blog!
All that you make looks and sounds Mouthwatering!

Marice said...

yummy!!!!

u may view mine here

Rambling Tart said...

Oh, I do like things that go well with coffee, Mary. :-) I'm a big fan of anything hazelnut and I love the looks of this! :-)

Anonymous said...

What a delightful pic. The bread looks yummy. And thanks for the recipe!

Karen

La Bella Cooks said...

Thanks for sharing this recipe as I am always looking for a new way to use the hazelnuts I have on hand. Looks so warming and delicious.

Reeni said...

Chocolate and hazelnuts are an irresistible combo for me! This bread is a such a treat!

Jen_from_NJ said...

I love this "smiley" bread! I would love it with a cup of coffee right now!

mr. pineapple man said...

i love how the bread kind of has a smile!

Megan said...

This looks like a lovely loaf of bread. We loove hazelnuts and this would be a perfect choice. Thumbs up! :)

liz said...

the bread sounds so good! hazelnuts are my favorite nut. i remember going to pick them with my dad in the country once.

PranisKitchen said...

first time here..lovely space u have..liked the chocolate hazelnut cake..looks so delicious..
Do drop by our blog when time permits
Prani

Lucie said...

Oooh hazelnuts! Love them. This is really a beautiful track bread, Mary!

My Little Space said...

Means that you can get them cheaper, right? hehe.... Hazelnut makes me think of Nutella! Btw, your bread looks scrumptious. Thanks for sharing such beautiful recipe.
Regards, Kristy

JEANNE said...

Hello Mary, since I am a fan of hazelnuts I'm sure I would love this bread. One of my favorite flavored coffees is hazelnut as well. I haven't seen many recipes calling for hazelnuts, not that I have done a search. smile! Maybe it is because they cost more. And, I can assure you, I'm with you on buying them ready to use.

Enjoy your day.
Hugs, Jeanne

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