Fig Bread
A hearty, fruit-forward quick bread loaded with chewy dried figs, melty chocolate chunks, and toasty walnuts in every slice.
Servings: 12 Slices
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups whole wheat flour
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup semisweet chocolate chunks
- ⅓ cup walnuts chopped
- 2 cups mission dried figs for batter, chopped
- 8 dried figs for garnish, halved
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- ⅔ cup low fat buttermilk
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper and spray the bottom with cooking spray. Place the 8 halved figs in a small bowl of very hot water and set aside.
- Whisk the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl until combined. Stir in the chopped figs, chocolate chunks, and walnuts until coated in the flour mixture.
- In a separate bowl, beat the melted butter and brown sugar with a fork until smooth. Beat in the buttermilk and egg. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until just combined.
- Spoon and spread the batter evenly into the prepared loaf pan. Drain the soaked figs and place them cut side-up on top of the loaf, pressing lightly into the batter.
- Bake 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes until the loaf is a deep golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before slicing, about 1 hour.
Notes
Yield: This recipe makes one 9x5-inch loaf and yields 12 slices.
Technique: Don't pull the loaf until the crust is a deep golden brown — a pale top almost always means the center is still underbaked, even if the bake time has elapsed. Test with a toothpick and give it another 10 minutes if needed.
Measuring: Chop the dried figs for the batter into roughly even pieces so they distribute consistently throughout the loaf and don't sink or clump in one area.
Storage: Wrap the cooled loaf tightly in plastic wrap or store slices in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. To freeze, wrap the whole loaf or individual slices in plastic wrap then foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight at room temperature or warm slices in a low oven until heated through.
Technique: Don't pull the loaf until the crust is a deep golden brown — a pale top almost always means the center is still underbaked, even if the bake time has elapsed. Test with a toothpick and give it another 10 minutes if needed.
Measuring: Chop the dried figs for the batter into roughly even pieces so they distribute consistently throughout the loaf and don't sink or clump in one area.
Storage: Wrap the cooled loaf tightly in plastic wrap or store slices in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. To freeze, wrap the whole loaf or individual slices in plastic wrap then foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight at room temperature or warm slices in a low oven until heated through.
Nutrition
Calories: 326kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 209mg | Potassium: 340mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 211IU | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Calcium: 105mg | Iron: 2mg