While having lunch in the city, one of my friends asked a question that went something like this 'Do you ever feel pressure making a meal when everyone's expectations are exceedingly high?'. It took me a few seconds to wrap my head around that question as I knew there was a compliment in there somewhere. He happens to be one of those friends who has the uncanny ability to remember every meal, every course, every beverage ever served here while making you feel like everything was the 'best' ever. However, after giggling for a few seconds my first answer was a simple one. No I don't. But then I went on for a bit. The beginning and end of the meal were always things I thought were really, really, really good. Because like a really good book, everyone remembers how it starts and how it ends, but not everyone remembers everything in the middle. The middle, aka main course, is where I usually take the most risks or try out new recipes on family and friends. Yes, I really do make and serve things made for the 'first' time but only to family and/or friends, almost never for people who have had a meal here. They would be the ones who only remembered what happened in the middle! But his simple question got me thinking. And not just about making meals at my house or having meals in the homes of my friends.
One of the downsides of being the one who usually gifts friends with homemade food is that it's rare for me to receive a gift coming out of anyone else's kitchen. So when I do, I am thrilled to death! Over the Christmas holidays I actually received two of these gifts! Which happens to be two more than I received all year! And ionically these homemade love gifts came from friends living in Colorado. The first was a jar of incredibly delicious homemade pickles and its' recipe. I can hardly wait for the return of pickle season to start making them as I love pickles! The second was a loaf of Cranberry Orange Pecan Bread. One we inhaled in record time, but one without an accompanying recipe. A recipe I had to have. After there wasn't a reply to my first request, I made a second one. Persistency is my middle name and patience is a virtue I haven't completely embraced.
The Cranberry Orange Pecan Bread happened be made my the wife of my doctoral college roommate, my dissertation advisor, a PiPhi sister, and my friend. So I knew my chances of getting the 'secret' recipe from the woman who has been working tirelessly to earn tenure at a university at the young age of almost 70, to launch a national network with rural education leaders, and to help her doctoral students finish their dissertations (just to name a few), were pretty good, in spite of how busy she was. Based on how insanely delicious and slightly addictive the Cranberry Orange Pecan Bread was, I wasn't expecting the recipe I received. Because absolutely nothing about the look, taste, flavor, or texture of this bread said 'semi-homemade'. I was beyond thrilled to discover it was! Being able to make an unfussy recipe for a Cranberry Orange Pecan Bread tasting like it came from a high-end bakery had me feeling deliriously happy. It felt like I was gifted twice by the same person.
In spite of having a passion for baking from scratch, I secretly embrace 'semi-homemade' recipes. Especially ones like this one. Honestly, I don't think there is better recipe for Cranberry Orange Pecan Bread out there. This doctored up version (no pun intended) is the BEST one ever!
It all starts with a box of Cranberry Orange Muffin Mix. The addition of orange zest, fresh orange juice, fresh cranberries (in addition to the cranberries in the mix), and coarsely chopped roasted pecans transforms the mix into the moistest, most flavorful, most beautiful Cranberry Orange Pecan Bread I have ever tasted. Which means you need this bread in your life too!
For the record, I made some very minor changes to Kristina's recipe. I used fresh instead of frozen cranberries (because I had them in the refrigerator), increased the pecans from 1/3 cup to 1/2 cup (because I love a nutty fruit bread), topped it with a thick icing (just because), and finished it with some sugared cranberries (because I can't leave well enough alone). However, this bread is incredibly delicious without the icing or add the sugared cranberries. And if I were sending this bread in the mail, I wouldn't be icing it or adding sugared cranberries either.
The recipe below for the sugared cranberries gives you more than you need for topping the Cranberry Orange Pecan Bread so you will end up with plenty to snack on! If you have never had them, you are in for a treat!
Kristina's changes of replacing some of the water with fresh orange juice, adding the zest of an orange (Cara Cara are her favorites) along with adding more cranberries as well as pecans seriously take the boxed cranberry orange muffin mix from good to great, from ordinary to extraordinary.
Using an 8" x 4" bread pan lined with parchment paper and sprayed with vegetable oil, the Cranberry Orange Pecan Bread bakes for 50-55 minutes in a preheated 350 degree (F) oven.
If serving this Cranberry Orange Pecan Bread for breakfast I might leave off the icing and sugared cranberries. Well maybe not the icing. But if serving it as a dessert, I would definitely add both of them. This bread has just the right balance of tart and sweet. One without being overly tart or sweet.
With the start of a new year I know everyone has either resolved or created the intention to more closely watch what they eat. But the rule of 'everything in moderation' makes eating almost anything possible. So when it comes to serving this Cranberry Orange Pecan Bread, cut it in thick 1/2 inch slices. Yes half-inch thick slices. You could always serve someone half of a thickly cut slice, but whatever you do, don't slice it thinly. Just don't.
Fortunately my memory is relatively still intact. Which means I will be remembering all of the gifts I received this Christmas. But when my memory starts to fail me I will never forget the homemade gifts of pickles and Cranberry Orange Pecan Bread received this year as their flavors are permanently imprinted on my taste memory. Who can ever forget a homemade gift?
This is one of those 'quick' breads you can make year round (but maybe not with the sugared cranberries on top). It would make for a thoughtful hostess, birthday, holiday, or housewarming gift; a perfect start to any morning; a lovely dessert to a simple meal; and/or a great mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack. This may be, no it will be, one of the best 'semi-homemade' breads you will ever make. And remember, don't feel compelled to be so forthcoming and reveal your secret recipe so quickly. If your friends and/or family don't ask, then don't tell them. But is they do, please share it with them. Be prepared to see the look of shock on their faces when they learn how easy such a luscious Cranberry Orange Pecan Bread can be to make.
P.S. You should run out now and pick up a handful of boxes of Krusteaz's Cranberry Orange Muffin Mix!
Cranberry Orange Pecan Bread (inspired by a recipe shared by my good friend Kristina Hesbol)
Ingredients
1 box of Cranberry Orange Muffin Mix (18.6 oz/525g) - see notes
1/4 rounded teaspoon baking powder
2 large eggs, room temperature
8 Tablespoons water
2 Tablespoons orange juice
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
1/2 cup (55g) fresh or frozen (unthawed) cranberries (cut in half if the berries are large)
1/2 cup (55 g) pecan halves, roasted and coarsely chopped
Zest from a small orange
Orange Glaze
1 cup (115g) confectionary sugar
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
1 Tablespoon water
1 Tablespoon orange juice
Sugared Cranberries
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
8 ounces (226g) fresh cranberries
Directions
Cranberry Orange Pecan Bread
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line an 8" x 4" metal baking pan with parchment paper. Lightly butter or spray with vegetable oil. Set aside.
2. In a medium-large size bowl, mix together the muffin mix, eggs, water, orange juice, and canola oil. Mix just until blended.
3. Gently stir in the fresh cranberries, the cranberries that came in the muffin mix (do not drain), the pecans and orange zest.
4. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan. Smooth the top with an offset spatula.
5. Bake for 50-55 minutes or until done. Note: Baking time could be as long as 65 minutes.
6. Transfer to a cooling rack. Let bread completely cool, if topping with the glaze.
7. In a medium sized bowl, add in the confectionary sugar and butter.
8. Bring the one tablespoon of water and one tablespoon of orange juice to boil. Pour it over the confectionary sugar and butter. Whisk until smooth and creamy.
9. Remove the bread from the baking pan and place on serving platter. Pour over the orange glaze. Top with sugared cranberries, if using. Let the glaze set before slicing into 1/2" thick slices.
10. Store any leftover bread in the refrigerator to maximize it's freshness or store covered in plastic wrap at room temperature
Sugared Cranberries
1. In a medium sized saucepan, heat 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 cup of sugar over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves.
2. Remove from heat and add in the cranberries. Stirring to ensure all of the cranberries are coated.
3. With a slotted spoon transfer the cranberries to a cooling rack set over a large sheet pan.
4. Let the cranberries set for 5 minutes. Note: They should still be a little sticky.
5. Pour the remaining cup of sugar into a bowl or onto a plate. Toss the cranberries into sugar mixture until they are completed coated.
6. Set the coated cranberries onto a pan lined with parchment paper or let sit in the sugar until ready to use.
Notes: (1) Recommend using the Cranberry Orange Muffin Mix made by Krusteaz. The mix contains a tin of cranberries which were also used in this bread. (2) A half cup of water is 10 Tablespoons. Instead of saying use 1/2 cup less 2 Tablespoons of water, I thought it would be easier to break out the water and orange juice into Tablespoon measurements. (3) When slicing the bread, use a long sharp not, not a serrated knife. (4) If you can't bring yourself to make anything not baked from scratch, this Cranberry Nut Bread is really good too.
2 large eggs, room temperature
8 Tablespoons water
2 Tablespoons orange juice
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
1/2 cup (55g) fresh or frozen (unthawed) cranberries (cut in half if the berries are large)
1/2 cup (55 g) pecan halves, roasted and coarsely chopped
Zest from a small orange
Orange Glaze
1 cup (115g) confectionary sugar
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
1 Tablespoon water
1 Tablespoon orange juice
Sugared Cranberries
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
8 ounces (226g) fresh cranberries
Directions
Cranberry Orange Pecan Bread
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line an 8" x 4" metal baking pan with parchment paper. Lightly butter or spray with vegetable oil. Set aside.
2. In a medium-large size bowl, mix together the muffin mix, eggs, water, orange juice, and canola oil. Mix just until blended.
3. Gently stir in the fresh cranberries, the cranberries that came in the muffin mix (do not drain), the pecans and orange zest.
4. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan. Smooth the top with an offset spatula.
5. Bake for 50-55 minutes or until done. Note: Baking time could be as long as 65 minutes.
6. Transfer to a cooling rack. Let bread completely cool, if topping with the glaze.
7. In a medium sized bowl, add in the confectionary sugar and butter.
8. Bring the one tablespoon of water and one tablespoon of orange juice to boil. Pour it over the confectionary sugar and butter. Whisk until smooth and creamy.
9. Remove the bread from the baking pan and place on serving platter. Pour over the orange glaze. Top with sugared cranberries, if using. Let the glaze set before slicing into 1/2" thick slices.
10. Store any leftover bread in the refrigerator to maximize it's freshness or store covered in plastic wrap at room temperature
Sugared Cranberries
1. In a medium sized saucepan, heat 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 cup of sugar over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves.
2. Remove from heat and add in the cranberries. Stirring to ensure all of the cranberries are coated.
3. With a slotted spoon transfer the cranberries to a cooling rack set over a large sheet pan.
4. Let the cranberries set for 5 minutes. Note: They should still be a little sticky.
5. Pour the remaining cup of sugar into a bowl or onto a plate. Toss the cranberries into sugar mixture until they are completed coated.
6. Set the coated cranberries onto a pan lined with parchment paper or let sit in the sugar until ready to use.
Notes: (1) Recommend using the Cranberry Orange Muffin Mix made by Krusteaz. The mix contains a tin of cranberries which were also used in this bread. (2) A half cup of water is 10 Tablespoons. Instead of saying use 1/2 cup less 2 Tablespoons of water, I thought it would be easier to break out the water and orange juice into Tablespoon measurements. (3) When slicing the bread, use a long sharp not, not a serrated knife. (4) If you can't bring yourself to make anything not baked from scratch, this Cranberry Nut Bread is really good too.