Strawberry Mango Molasses Mini Loaf

Bread day! Well not really.. I made this one last week .. But just getting around to posting it. This week I baked up chocolate mini loaves with the half of the apple left over, after making the yummylicious Chocolate Cake :).. too many chocolate posts !..

This one is another fruit bread with Strawberries, Mango and some added goodness from the Molasses. The pink from the strawberries got overshadowed by the Molasses.. but do we care when it tastes so good!. I dont like blackstrap molasses much. I should have gotten the mild one.. but now I have this 15 oz bottle which I cant seem to finish with cookies and stir fry dishes. So this is an acceptable taste combination in the bread, and lets me use up some of it. All that good iron content.. in that big bottle of molasses... has gotta be used somewhere.. Please do Drop me some comments about what to do with it!

2 mini loafs

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cups whole wheat flour
• 2/3 cups bread flour
• 2 Tablespoons quinoa
• 1 teaspoon vital wheat gluten (optional)
• 3 Tablespoons raw sugar or equivalent jaggery/agave/maple syrup or other sweetners.
• 2 Tablespoons molasses
• 1.5 teaspoons active yeast
• 1/2 cup water
• 2/3 cup strawberries(7-8)
• 1/2 medium mango chopped(1/2 cup chopped)
• 1 Tablespoon Organic olive oil.
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Add the yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar to 2 Tablespoons warm water and mix well. Let stand for 10 minutes or until frothy.
2. Boil the remaining water( about 1/3 cup) and add rinsed quinoa to it. Cook until done, about 10 minutes. All of the water might not be absorbed.
3. In a blender, puree the strawberries, mango, molasses with the remaining sugar.
4. Add the done quinoa to the puree and blend once again. You can skip this step and add quinoa directly to the dough to get the grainy texture.
5. In a bowl add the flours, wheat gluten and salt and mix.
6. Add in the yeast mixture, oil and fruit+quinoa puree (or fruit and the cooked and cooled quinoa)
7. Knead the dough for 8-10 minutes, scraping sides every 2-3 minutes if using a stand mixer. add more flour or water in little quantities if needed. As with any fresh fruit/vegetable bread, the fruit gives out a little extra moisture than a normal bread while the dough sits for the rising time. So keep the dough soft and not too sticky.
8. Spritz the top of dough with some oil spray. Place dough in a covered container in a warm place for 1.5 hours.
9. Punch it lightly. For mini loaf pans, divide dough into 2 parts. Knead and shape into a loaf by pulling on all sides, or by rolling it out into a rectangle and rolling the rectangle from one side and tucking the other edge under like a jelly roll.
10. Place loaf in greased mini bread pans. Spritz the top with water and then spritz a little oil spray, and cover with damp towel.
11. Place it in a warm place or warm oven for 50 minutes.
12. Remove towel, spritz top with some water and bake at preheated 35o degrees F for 25 minutes or until the bread sounds hollow. (35 minutes if baking one bigger loaf)
13. Remove bread from pan and let cool for an hour.
14. Slice and enjoy as is! or topped with some fresh fruit compote, chutneys, creamy herbed berry topping(vegan cream cheese mixed with mashed berries and herbs), or marmalade, or nut butters, or topped with a tofu scramble! Have a fun day!

This bread is headed to Susans Weekly Yeastspotting , Sugar Free Sunday and Ricki's Wellness Weekend Event.. ! and Amee's Fit and Fabulous Friday! and Erins Friday Potluck!