This Chocolate Coconut Almond Bread, a quick bread, is wonderful for snacking or gifting (think holidays, housewarming, or a hostess gift). The almond bread is sprinkled with sweet coconut and studded with semi-sweet chocolate chips – a sweet breakfast or afternoon snack.
While Christmas is still 3 months away, I’m already making lists upon lists of recipes I want to make for the holiday season. There are care packages to send, a holiday party to plan for, and menus for Christmas Eve, Christmas, and whatever other days my family invade my parent’s house. But let’s be honest. Christmas is my favorite holiday and I probably start thinking about food to share, crafts to make, and gifts to purchase as early as July.
A few weeks ago, I received the latest (October/November) issue of Fine Cooking and flipping through it, I knew exactly which recipe I’d try first. Nope, it wasn’t one of the featured holiday pumpkin desserts. I was going to try one of the flavor combinations in the quick bread article. I figure, the recipe is a great recipe to have in my repertoire for unexpected company, a last minute event, or a gift – be it for a hostess gift or a homemade holiday gift. The flavors combos highlighted were less seasonal, which is an added bonus. I love recipes that are enjoyable all year round.
What is a quick bread? A quick bread baking soda or baking powder (a leavening agent) instead of yeast to rise. Therefore the dough requires no kneading or time to rise. Simply mix everything together and bake. It’s super easy which is part of what makes it so nice for entertaining or gifting. Less than 15 minutes of prep work and it’s in the oven and done.
The chocolate coconut almond bread version I made was a tasty snack to accompany afternoon tea, but would also make a great dessert. I made two loaves, one of which I plan on shipping to a special someone (unless it gets eaten first!).
More Quick Bread Recipes:
- Almond Poppy Seed Bread
- Banana Bread (Traditional, “Banana Split”, Nutella Swirl, or Rhubarb)
- Cranberry Orange Bread
- Key Lime Mini Loaf Cake
- Lavender Lemon Bread
- Pumpkin Bread
- Rhubarb Sour Cream Bread
- Zucchini Bread (Traditional, Lemon, or Chocolate)
Chocolate, Coconut & Almond Bread
This Chocolate Coconut Almond Bread, a quick bread, is wonderful for snacking or gifting (think holidays, housewarming, or a hostess gift). The almond bread is sprinkled with sweet coconut and studded with semi-sweet chocolate chips - a sweet breakfast or afternoon snack.
Ingredients
- 9 Tbs. unsalted butter divided
- 2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour plus more for flouring pan
- 3/4 c. granulated sugar
- 1 Tbs. baking powder
- 3/4 tsp. salt
- 1 c. unsweetened coconut milk
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp. almond extract
- 1 c. sweetened shredded coconut, toasted
- 3/4 c. semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/3 - 1/2 c. slivered almonds
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350F.
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In a small bowl, melt 8 Tbs. (1 stick) of butter. Allow to cool.
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Using 1 Tbs. butter, grease bottom and sides of a 9x5 inch loaf pan (if your butter isn't softened, you can melt it and grease the pan that way). Sprinkle with a little flour on bottom and sides of buttered pan, tapping pan to move around flour, ensuring that pan is completely covered. Tap out excess flour over the sink. Set aside.
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In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together coconut milk, eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Add toasted coconut and chocolate chips and stir until all ingredients are fulling incorporated.
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Pour milk mixture and melted butter over dry ingredients and briefly stir with a rubber spatula until most of the wet ingredients are incorporated.
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Pour batter into prepared pan and top with slivered almonds.
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Bake for 45-60 minutes, until top is golden and a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Remove from pan and return to rack to cool completely.
Recipe Notes
Recipe makes 1 standard sized loaf, or about 10 slices.
Adapted from Fine Cooking No. 125 (p. 68)
Looks great! Coconut is one of my favorite things to bake with. Chocolate makes it even better. 🙂
I am so sad about Fine Cooking. They had the best recipes! This sounds wonderful!
I couldn’t agree more! I’m so glad I saved all of their old magazines!
What great flavors in this bread!
What a beautiful loaf of bread! I’m anticipating a loaf popping out of my oven shortly!
Love all the flavors in this quick bread! Quick breads are so nice to have around for snacks, breakfasts, and to pack up in lunchboxes.
Oh my goodness! Could you possibly fit any more goodies in this bread??? It sounds and looks amazing…and total HEAVEN for a crunch-lover like me!!!
Thank you! 🙂
Yum! I just found some coconut in the cabinet and was looking for ways to use it up, this is perfect!
Enjoy!