World's Best Pear Bread Recipe
By Buster Bucks
This is Incredible Bread!
This pear bread recipe is quick, easy and absolutely delicious. Because it uses apple sauce, it has half the calories of standard quick breads -- this is a recipe you'll keep and use for years.
The Ingredients
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup apple sauce (or pear sauce -- all you have to do is mash some pears in their juice to make a half cup)
3 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 cups flour
lemon zest from one medium lemon
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ginger
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups of chopped pears (if fresh, then peel the pears)
1 cup chopped pecans (or you can use walnuts if you prefer -- I use whatever I have on hand)
How To Make The Bread
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
In one bowl, beat your wet ingredients: the oil, apple (or pear) sauce, eggs, sugar and vanilla extract.
In another bowl, mix together the flour, lemon zest, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt.
Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
Add your chopped pears and chopped nuts. Mix carefully but thoroughly.
Spray TWO 8" X 4" loaf pans with cooking oil spray, then divide the batter between the two pans.
Sprinkle the tops with sugar. Don't be shy! I use about 2 or 3 tbsp. for the tops of each loaf.
Place the pans into the preheated oven, and bake for an hour or so. I usually start checking mine at the one hour mark by inserting a toothpick near the center. If the toothpick comes out clean I know my loaves are done. Sometimes the loaves will take upwards of 70 minutes.
Let them cool for about 10 minutes on the counter, then carefully remove them from the pans and let them come to room temperature.
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Final Steps
I always wrap one loaf in several pieces of plastic wrap, then in a covering of foil, and put into the freezer. (Make sure the loaf is fully at room temperature before you put it into the freezer.) It's great to have when guests are coming over, or for breakfast for guests, or anytime you'd like something special but aren't in the mood to bake.
I slice the other loaf and eat it with butter, or toast a slice to eat with my coffee in the morning.
I also love to wrap slices in plastic wrap and put them in lunches -- they're so delicious after a sandwich, and this pear bread keeps really well.
Enjoy!
This sounds absolutely delicious ! I'm just a bit confused about the oil part, do I use olive or canola or a different one? I want this to be just right since my husband and I are newlyweds and it'll be the first bread in our home :)
A neighbor gave me a bag of pears and they had to be used right away. This is a great recipe, I used half white and half wheat flour, added 1 cup carmelized walnuts and used brown sugar on top and it was wonderful. I froze 2 loafs and I'm sure they will be even better when I take them out. Be careful to only fill your pans 3/4 full as the mixture does rise quite a bit. Thanks
Hi Jlovebzy,
I apologize for just now responding to you. I've been in the hinterlands of Southeast Asia with spotty internet service.
Anyhow... hope I'm not too late... yes, you can make muffins with this recipe, and the cooking time will drop to approximately 20 minutes (perhaps slightly less, perhaps slightly more depending on your oven. Check by inserting a toothpick into one that is in the center of your muffin tin. If it comes out clean, then they're done. If the tip is moist, then let them bake for a little longer (4 minutes) then try again.
Don't forget that they'll continue to bake for a little while after they're removed from the oven.
Yes, you can use wheat flour.
:-)
Best regards,
Buster
Thank you for this recipe! We love pears : ) I am going to try it later today. I don't do to much baking, so I was wondering if you had any suggestions.... I don't have 2 loaf pans, can I make muffins with it (if so, does cooking time change)? And...I try to stay on the healthy side, could I use wheat flour?
Thank you again for the recipe. Looking forward to trying it : )
Hi Tim,
Wow, 90 cups! I'm envious. I put up some pears night before last, and made another batch of pear bread... and defrosted a loaf I made six months ago. It tasted as fresh as the day I'd made it.
Thanks for taking the time to write, Tim. I'll have to try adding oatmeal as a replacement for some of the flour.
Best regards,
Buster
This bread is truly as described! Exceptionally yummy and pretty simple. I skip the lemon zest as I never have it but am sure it couldn't hurt it! My last batch I added a cup of oatmeal, lessened the flour by half a cup and it is still yummy. May try to add more oatmeal next time after I eat this batch....you know, to give it my total evaluation!! :) Also, freezing the pears this way rocks! No more pears only one month a year! I have 90 cups worth in the freezer!!
Buster Bucks 2 months ago
Hi Mrs. Miller,
Use Canola oil -- it's the best for baking when oil is one of the ingredients.
Congratulations! This bread will be a wonderful way to break in your new kitchen.
:)
Best regards,
Buster