Cranberry Pistachio Bread Food

CRANBERRY PISTACHIO BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 9x5" loaf pan with cooking spray.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together butter and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy.
• Add eggs and vanilla extract, beating well to combine.
• In a food processor, combine cranberries and 1 TBSP sugar. Pulse to process just until roughly chopped. Add these into the sugar and egg mixture, mixing on low speed just until combined.
• In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and pistachio pudding mix. Whisk to combine, breaking apart any lumps of pudding mix.
• With the mixer on low speed, add half of the flour mixture to the wet ingredients.
• Add the milk, mixing to combine.
• Add remaining flour mixture and chopped pistachios, mixing just until combined.
• Transfer batter to prepared pan, smoothing out the top.
• Bake for 55-65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Allow to cool for a few minutes in the pan before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.

CRANBERRY PISTACHIO SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl whisk the flour with the salt and cinnamon.
• In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), cream the butter until smooth (about 1 - 2 minutes). Add the sugar and beat until smooth and creamy (about 3 minutes). Beat in the zest and vanilla extract. Gently stir in the flour mixture just until incorporated. Fold in the chopped pistachios and dried cranberries. (Make sure that the nuts and cranberries are evenly distributed throughout the dough.).
• Divide the dough in half. Place each half of dough on the center of a 14 inch (35 cm) length of parchment or wax paper (plastic wrap will work too). Smooth and shape the dough into an evenly shaped rectangle that is about 10 inches (25 cm) long and 2 inches (5 cm) wide. Then thoroughly wrap the shaped logs in the parchment or wax paper, twists the ends of the paper to seal the logs, and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least two hours, or up to three days. (The logs can also be frozen for about two months. If freezing, it is best to defrost the logs in the refrigerator overnight before slicing and baking.).
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C) with the rack in the center of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Using a thin bladed knife, slice the logs into ¼ to ½ inch (.5 to 1 cm) thick cookies. If dough is too hard to slice you may need to let the log set our for 5 minutes. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches (5 cm) apart.
• Bake for about 15 - 18 minutes, or until the cookies are just beginning to brown around the edges. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Check at 12 minutes - the type of pan you use can really make a big difference in cooking time.
• Note. The original recipe calls for unsalted butter, I prefer my shortbread with salted butter, so try it either way.

APPLE-CRANBERRY-PISTACHIO BREAD

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour bottom only of 8x4-inch loaf pan. In large bowl with wooden spoon, mix flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt. Beat in oil, 1/3 cup cider and eggs until smooth. Stir in apple, cranberries and 1/3 cup pistachios. Spoon and spread evenly in pan.
• Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely, about 1 hour 30 minutes.
• In small bowl, mix powdered sugar and enough of the 2 to 3 teaspoons cider for desired glaze consistency. Spread over top of bread. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons pistachios.