This recipe uses an old fashioned (but effective) technique to make quick breads moist. You may remember eating “poke cake” where the cook poked the surface with a toothpick and then poured liquid Jell-O over the top. This uses the same technique but with an herbal topping.
Fresh Lemon Balm Bread
Course: BreakfastCooking time
45
minutesIngredients
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh lemon balm leaves
1 cup of sugar
8 tablespoons of butter, softened
2 eggs
1/2 cup of milk
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 tablespoon of grated lemon rind
- Sauce
1/2 cup of sugar
2 tablespoon of chopped fresh lemon balm
3 tablespoons of lemon juice
How to Make It
- Snip enough lemon balm leaves to provide 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of finely chopped leaves.
- Rinse and pat dry.
- Oil four mini-loaf pans or one regular loaf pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Combine sugar, lemon balm leaves, butter, and eggs.
- Add milk and beat until smooth.
- Finally add in flour, baking powder, salt, and grated lemon rind.
- Mix just until combined. Do not over-mix.
- Pour evenly into large loaf pan or mini-pans.
- Bake large loaves for 45 minutes, smaller loaves for 25-30 minutes.
- While the quick bread is baking, make the sauce to drizzle over the top.
- In a saucepan, combine 1/2 cup sugar, remaining lemon balm leaves and 3 tablespoons lemon juice (approximately the juice from one lemon).
- Add enough water to make a mixture you can easily stir – about a quarter of a cup.
When you say lemon rind do you mean the whole rind or just the zest?
Yes, the outer yellow skin is what is used. The inner white pith is somewhat bitter and never used fresh, as far as I know.
P.S. Sorry for taking so long but I am just now restarting my business after the death of y husband this spring.