Monday 24 February 2014

Spiced Pear & Dark Chocolate Chunk Bread & How I Learned To Cook



I learned how to cook very young and I was terrible at it for a very long time. My Mum was a divorced, working Mother, which meant that growing up she was often at work during dinner time. So in the evenings I was left with a kitchen at my disposal, no internet or cook books and a hungry belly. My Mum had taught me the basics, how to cook pasta, the perfect hardboiled egg and bechamel sauce. So, you can imagine my meals weren't particularly appetising. Eventually I graduated from using jars of store bought pasta sauce on top of woefully over-cooked spaghetti to learning what 'al dente' is and making my own pasta sauce with olives, garlic, feta and lemon. I happily lived off that for years.


I moved in with my boyfriend (now husband) when I was 17 years old. He couldn't cook beyond making toast, and with our cooking powers combined our diet consisted heavily of take away and store bought frozen meals. Surprisingly one can only live on tater tots and pizza for so long.


By now I had a much-loved connection to the internet and I began to explore the world of cooking blogs. I was inspired by so many people who seemed to be able to create incredible dishes with the greatest of ease. The food looked ethereal and I was envious, so very envious


I soaked up every bit of information I could, how to pick the best ingredients, how to balance flavours and textures, how to leave behind packet mixes and cook from scratch. I loved every minute.

Sure it was hard and frustrating and I never did quite manage to make that evasive white chocolate mud cake, even after 3 attempts and wasting over a kilo of chocolate. But boy I was overjoyed to be able to finally place something delicious on the table that I had worked hard on, with love and patience.



Now that I have a family of my own cooking has become something we do together. Each meal is an opportunity to learn together, to talk, to savour each other's company and the wonderful things we can create when we work together. My son, Oscar loves to "mix mix", scoop and pour. He's a dedicated taste-tester too. I ask him what he thinks, does it need more sugar? Salt? Is it thick enough? I encourage him to create recipes and different flavour combinations. I often catch him flicking through my cookbooks, scanning the pages for something "mmmlicious!.


Cooking with kids is a messy and sometimes disastrous business, but it makes me giddy with excitement to see my cooking passion instilled in that little man. It's a comfort to know that this is one thing ticked off the list in creating a well-rounded and independent adult, not to mention breakfast in bed is just around the corner. ;)

This recipe is largely thanks to my son, I needed to use some pears and the idea to make it a bread and add chocolate chunks was his hungered request. Oscar and my husband, Keith, kindly tested out the recipe for me with winning results. Kid, husband and food blogger approved! This is a moist (not doughy) bread with a hint of spice, it's best eaten warm for the full 'oozing chocolate' effect. I served it with a side of good quality salted butter and some honey-drizzled fresh figs but it was also delicious the next day, plain and simple with a cup of chai tea.



Spiced Pear & Dark Chocolate Chunk Bread

Recipe by A Rhubarb Rhapsody
Total time: 45 minutes
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients
  • 2 cups plain flour
  • 1 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup greek/natural yoghurt
  • 2 eggs at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 500g (1lb 1oz) very ripe pears, peeled cored and mashed (about 3 medium pears)
  • 2 tablespoons oil or melted butter
  • 90g dark chocolate, cut into chunks

Cooking Directions 
  1. Preheat oven to 175°C/ 345°F. Grease load tin and line with grease-proof baking paper, set aside.
  2. In a large bowl sift flour, baking powder and baking soda together. Add brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Whisk until combined.
  3. In a medium sized mixing bowl mix the mashed pears, yoghurt, eggs, vanilla extract and oil/butter together.
  4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently mix until just combined (do not over mix). Carefully fold the chocolate chunks into the mixture.
  5. Pour the batter into the pre-prepared loaf tin and bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Let the loaf cool in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack, wait until it's at room temperature before cutting and serving.

34 comments:

  1. Beautiful post. I must try making this.

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    1. I hope you do! It takes quite awhile for it to go stale (mine was still good 3 days later) and it freezes well in case you're lucky enough to have some left over.

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    3. Oh I will have to prepare then. I will let you know how it goes :)

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  2. What a lovely blog you have here. I noticed you only just started this month and already have such beautiful posts! You were obviously meant to do this :o) This recipe caught my eye as it has pears and dark chocolate - what a great combination. I also didn't learn to cook until I was an adult and nothing can inspire you greater than your sweet little guy. Best of luck on your blogging adventures.

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    1. Thank you for your very kind comment, Sarah! I haven't really written since English Lit in high school, so I'm still working through the kinks. ;)

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  3. Loving the chocolate and the fruit in this!! Cute little son you have.

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    1. Hi Miryam! I hate fruit and nut chocolate blocks, but I too have such a soft spot for fruit and chocolate baked goods. My food logic is clearly lacking. :D

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  4. Lovely photos of your family in the kitchen. The recipe looks pretty great too! I've never seen pears mashed into a batter like this before.

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    1. I had no idea if the smashed pears thing would work. Our pears were really over ripe so there wasn't much choice! Luckily it turned out much better than I'd hoped.

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  5. What a sweet family you have. :) I also didn't learn to cook until adulthood, and now my son is learning to avoid my mistakes. It's wonderful to watch their natural curiosity turn into creativity!

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    1. Thanks Leanne. :) I'm so jealous of all the mistakes my son will be able to skip. For so many years I had no clue what a 'roux' was. So many floury and often lumpy sauces. Ugh.

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  6. That sounds delicious!
    My little guy loves to bake too…I think that really he just loves to eat chocolate and has learned that baking generally involves chocolate!

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    1. Hahaha! Yep, it's all about the chocolate with kids. Mind you I think that's one of the main reasons why I love baking too!

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  7. Love that story. It's great to have a little one so interested in what you cook and loving cooking. ( Great photos)

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    1. Thanks Tania! I've never met a kid that didn't enjoy cooking, it's such a great way to involve kids in making educated food choices. Plus, I've found my kiddo is a lot more willing to try new foods if he's had a hand in making them. I'll take any help I can get to work through the picky eating stage!

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  8. I love that you & your family cook together! I think cooking with my kids is the best. The Spiced Pear & Dark Chocolate Chunk Bread looks absolutely amazing.

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    1. Cooking with kids certainly adds a new level of difficulty to even the most simple dish! But like you said, it is the best and totally worth it. :)

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  9. This bread looks delicious! I love all the melty dark chocolate in there. And your story about learning to cook is so lovely!

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    1. It's all about the melty dark chocolate. ;) I'm so not one of those people that waits until bread has cooled before I cut into it. Especially when chocolate's involved!

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  10. I love reading your story about cooking! This bread looks great too!

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  11. Great post! I loved reading about how you learned to cook! Everyone's experiences are so different.

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    1. Thanks Lorraine! I've noticed that too, it's wonderful how the shared passion of cooking can stem from such varied backgrounds.

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  12. I have a recipe similar to this but with white chocolate! Love those figs, too.

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    1. I haven't cooked with white chocolate for so long, I'll have to try it in this recipe next time. :)

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  13. what a wonderful gift you are giving your little person! I could so devour a slice of this right now...I have all the ingredients except the pear but have some stewed quinces that will do the trick....oven's on....thanks for the inspirations! Jan x

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    1. Hi Jan, I hope it turned out well for you!

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  14. What a great mom to have the patience and forethought that cooking will be a skill that will help round out your little one. I love that you ask him questions on what he thinks the recipe needs you will definitely have a little chef someday.
    Your bread looks wonderful!

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    1. Hi Suzanne, I certainly hope it pays off! Can't wait to have dinner or breakfast in bed made for me, hahaha! ;)

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  15. My son's about to turn 2 and he is now my little kitchen helper, always helping me in cooking and baking...hehe. I agree... it's messy and even slightly frustrating but so worth it coz it makes him happy and some day our little ones can bake and cook for their own families :)

    Btw, your bread looks amazingggg! :D

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    1. Great minds think alike! I've never met a kid that doesn't like cooking, it's such a great family activity isn't it?

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  16. I love this post!! And the cake. And the shots of your sweet little family. :)

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    1. Thanks for dropping by Aggie! Glad you liked the post. :)

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