Thursday, November 15, 2007

Almond Joy Bread

My sweet friends at work love Almond Joy candy bars so I am always looking for Almond Joy recipes to share with them. This yummy bread was a huge hit! It made two loaves and after Tony tasted it he said......."You aren't going to take all of that to work are you?".

Almond Joy Bread
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
¾ cup canola oil
¼ cup melted unsalted butter
1 t vanilla
1 t coconut extract
3 cups flour
½ t baking soda
½ t baking powder
½ t salt
2 T cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup sweetened coconut
½ cup raw almonds, chopped
1 cup chocolate chips

Coconut Glaze
1 cup sugar
½ cup water
1 T butter
1 t coconut extract

Almond Joy Bread:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the first 6 ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Beat ingredients on medium speed for 2 minutes.In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder. Starting with the flour mixture alternate flour, and then buttermilk till all is combined. Mix until just combined. Do NOT over mix. Fold in coconut, chocolate chips and almonds. Pour into two loaf pans or 8 mini loaf pans that have been greased and floured or sprayed with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Remove from oven and place on rack to dry. While cakes are still warm, poke several holes in the top of the cake with a fork. Drizzle Coconut Glaze into the holes.

Coconut Glaze:
Place ingredients into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Allow to boil for about a minute. Turn heat off but leave saucepan on burner. Drizzle over bread. Cool.

TIP OF THE DAY: After the bread is cooled, you can drizzle this bread with a chocolate glaze made up of 1/2 cup chocolate chips, 2 T butter, and 1 T corn syrup melted in the microwave.

Tomorrow's Daily Special: Maple Walnut Pie