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Chocolate-Nut Quick Bread

Source of Recipe


From "Williams-Sonoma: Cooking at Home"



List of Ingredients



• 5 eggs, separated
  
• ¾ cup sugar
  
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
  
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  
• 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
  
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  
• 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
  
• 1 cup ground pecans, almonds, or toasted hazelnuts
  






Instructions



1. Preheat the oven to 375° F. Butter and flour an 8½ x 4½- inch loaf pan and tap out the excess flour. Place the egg whites and about half of the sugar in a bowl. Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat until stiff and shiny but not dry. Set aside. Rinse the mixer beaters. In another bowl, combine the egg yolks and the remaining sugar and beat on high speed until thick and pale, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in the melted butter and vanilla until incorporated.
   
   
2. In a large bowl, sift together the sifted flour and cinnamon. Stir the flour mixture into the yolk mixture, mixing until completely incorporated. Stir in half of the beaten egg whites to lighten the mixture. Then gently fold in the remaining egg whites just until combined. Fold in the chocolate and nuts just to distribute them evenly in the batter.
   
   
3. Pour and scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the top of the batter with a rubber spatula, mounding the batter slightly higher along the center. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then turn out onto the rack to cool completely.
   
   
   Makes 1 medium loaf