Cranberry Passionfruit Loaf with White Chocolate Chips

It’s been an unseasonably warm winter but this weekend, it seems like winter has reared its head again and it just made me crave a tropical dessert.  I took a basic quick bread recipe and decided to add fresh cranberries and passionfruit juice.  Passionfruit juice or pulp is difficult to locate however I was able to find it at a local grocery store.  I’ve tried to use local ingredients from farmers markets or items that are sourced locally when I can and I also find that it creates inspiration for future recipes!

There a number of greenmarkets that are open year round in New York City.  I visited a farmers market last weekend and picked up a few types of flour and grains all produced in New York.  I asked for a recommendation for an all purpose flour with a beautiful finish.  I tried the Frederick Soft White Wheat Flour from Champlain Valley Milling Farm and it was a perfect choice for this recipe!  As soon as I started measuring the flour, I could tell that the flour was going to be amazing and really promote great flavor. I used local eggs from Yellow Bell farm, also at the market. 

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup passionfruit juice or pulp

2 tsp baking powder

2 1/2 tsp vanilla (extract or scrape the inside of vanilla bean)

pinch of salt

2 eggs

1/3 cup of milk (fat free, 1% or 2%)

1 1/2 cup of cranberries

1 1/2 cup of white chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt together in a bowl. Mix in the wet ingredients- passionfruit juice, 2 eggs (lightly beaten), melted butter, vanilla and milk.  Fold in the cranberries and white chocolate chips until ingredients are fully mixed.  Grease a loaf pan (either metal or glass) and bake for 45-50 mins or until golden brown.  You can even use a cake tester and stick it through to the bottom of the pan to ensure that the batter has fully baked through.  Let cool on a flat surface or plate.  The loaf is pretty flavorful but for an added touch, you can add a few shakes of confectioners’ sugar.  Enjoy with friends and family!