Pear, Raspberry and Coconut Loaf

, from Issue #48. August, 2015
Photography by Aaron McLean.
Pear, Raspberry and Coconut Loaf

This is a moist, dense almost sticky loaf that’s filled with chunks of pear and slightly tart raspberries. Great eaten plain or lightly grill thick slices of the loaf and serve with a smear of ricotta for a delicious brunch or top with a scoop of ice-cream for dessert

INGREDIENTS

2 eggs
150 ml milk
150 ml coconut cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
75 ml organic virgin coconut oil
2½ cups shredded coconut
2½ cups plain flour
1 cup caster sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1½ cups frozen raspberries
2 firm but ripe pears, peeled and diced
icing sugar for serving

METHOD

Grease an 8 cup capacity loaf tin and fully line with baking paper.

Preheat oven to 170˚C.

Whisk the eggs, milk, coconut cream, vanilla and the oil together.

Combine the coconut, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and ginger in a large bowl then toss through the raspberries and pears to coat in the flour.

Add the milk mixture and gently fold everything together, taking care to not over mix the batter. The batter will be thick.

Spoon into the tin and smooth the top. Bake for 1 hour until the loaf is cooked, covering the top loosely with a piece of foil if it starts getting too brown.  A skewer inserted into the center of the loaf should come out clean with no damp batter attached.

Leave in the tin for 10 minutes then remove and place on a cooling rack. 

Dust with icing sugar and serve in thick slices. Makes 1 loaf

Cook’s tip: If the coconut oil has solidified, heat gently to melt before using.