Dried Peach Bread

INGREDIENTS

2    cups boiling water

8    dried peach halves (about 1+ cups)

1 ¾  cups all-purpose flour

1    teaspoon baking soda

½   teaspoon baking powder

½   teaspoon salt

6    tablespoons butter, softened

¾   cup dark brown sugar

2    large eggs

½   teaspoon vanilla

½   cup sour cream

¼   cup maple syrup

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease the sides and bottom of a 9 inch by 5 inch loaf pan and flour the pan . Add the dried peaches to the boiling water and boil for 10 to 12 minutes until the peaches are soft and tender. Remove from the heat, drain, saving ½ cup of the cooking liquid, and cool. Once cool, chop into pieces and add to a food processor along with the ¼ cup of cooking liquid. Process to a coarse puree and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt, mixing well with a whisk. In a separate large bowl, combine the butter and brown sugar with a pastry cutter or electric mixer until well mixed. Add the eggs one at a time, beating them in and add the vanilla.

In another bowl, whisk together the sour cream and maple syrup. Stirring constantly, fold the flour mixture and sour cream mixture to the butter mixture, starting and ending with the flour. Add the peach puree and combine thoroughly.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out with moist crumbs. Cool for 10 minutes in the loaf pan on a wire rack and for 10 more minutes out of the pan on a wire rack.

Adapted from a recipe in Cooking Light  magazine