Recipes

[Carol1229]

I poked around in my baking supply cabinet and saw that I had an abundance of white chocolate baking bars........hmmmmmm, cheesecake pudding, blueberries and white chocolate....that sounds like it just might work.

I shred the zucchini with my box grater on the large hole side, then put the shreds in a mesh strainer to drain while assembling the other ingredients. Just before I added the zucchini to the bowl, I pressed on it to release any excess juice-and there was PLENTY. I've been doing this lately when baking with zucchini, and I really like the outcome.

I used the Extra Coarse Microplane paddle grater to grate the white chocolate. You could use the large holes on a box grater to grate it, chop the chocolate by hand or use white chocolate chips. I would give the chips a few quick pulses in a food processor or rough chop them by hand so that white chocolate flavor can spread all throughout the bread.

I also added 1/8 tsp. of Cheesecake flavored oil that Cyndy had sent me a while back.....I LOVE using the flavored oils in baking-they're not just for candy making, and they really enhance the flavor of ingredients that sometimes need a little boost of flavor. These oils can be found in candy making supply stores, craft stores or online. I highly recommend them and am SO glad Cyndy put me wise to them. This ingredient is totally optional in the bread.

I opted to peel the zucchini so that it would disappear into the bread-you could easily make this leaving the peel on-it's totally up to you.

The last thing I added was the zest and juice of 1 lemon since I always add that to cheesecakes I bake.

I can't say ENOUGH good things about this bread. It's so soft and moist. I was a tad disappointed that the cheesecake flavor didn't come through more-I was hoping for a distinct level of that taste, so the next time I make this I'm going to add more of the cheesecake oil...hopefully that will give the cheesecake flavor a nudge. The white chocolate flavor shines through and the blueberries add a beautiful pop of fruit flavor. The peeled zucchini is barely noticeable-you can see peeks of it in the close-up of the slices-just a hint of light yellow-green. Only the baker knows for sure that there's even zucchini in this. We can keep that our "secret."

By the way-if you can't find cheesecake instant pudding in your area-feel free to substitute vanilla instant pudding or French Vanilla instant pudding-you wouldn't get the cheesecake flavor (unless you add additional cheesecake oil) but the bread would still be wonderful. A good friend of mine made it with the instant vanilla pudding and white chocolate and she and her family loved it.

The weather was VERY humid when I made this, so I found that the bread got sort of wet on the outside-I opted to refrigerate it. Since I haven't made it in non-humid weather, I don't know if it would have to be refrigerated any other time.

I'm having so much fun creating new zucchini bread recipes.....and I'm not done yet-the garden is still popping out squash so back to the drawing board I go.

This one has a long title, I know...it's a mouthful......and the bread? A mouthful of DELICIOUS! Into the keepers file the recipe goes! Now......onto the next experiment.............


Carol