Champagne Grape Almond Butter Swirl Bread
This loaf has all the nostalgia of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, but just better. This quick bread has a sweet and tender crumb that’s delicate and still moist, and is studded with champagne grapes (aka black Corinth grapes) and swirled with almond butter. The tiny champagne grape is the gem that makes this recipe special. It’s the perfect afternoon pick me up, or a great breakfast if you like to start the day with something sweet.
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What are Champagne Grapes?
I have been finding more and more grape varieties lately, and I feel a need to try pretty much every one I see. I first came across these tiny, gem-like grapes in my local Asian grocery store, and my heart broke when they were out of stock the next week. But a few weeks later I saw them in stock at Trader Joes- anyone else noticed that Trader Joes has really upped their fruit varieties lately? Heart healed, and time to get baking.
In the US we call them champagne grapes, many places of the world call them Corinth grapes. They come in black (as pictured here), red, and white varieties. These grapes aren’t used in wine making or champagne- they are named because of their beautiful appearance, like the delicate little bubbles that float up in a champagne glass. While champagne grapes have been rare in US markets, they’ve actually been grown since Roman times or perhaps earlier. They were first brought to the US by David Fairchild, the plant explorer and botanist who introduced hundreds of thousands of plants to the US including soybeans and mangos.
Champagne grapes are often made into raisins, which concentrates their sweet flavor. Fresh they are still very sweet with just a touch of acidity. Probably the most appealing use for them for me is on vegan cheese boards or charcuterie. These shiny pearls just have an amazing visual impact. They also work really well in baked goods, like this bread, because the smaller fruits don’t add as much moisture to doughs and batters.
Looking for Breads? Try one of these Vegan Bread Recipes!
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- Vegan Cranberry Banana Bread
- Golden Sweet Steamed Buns with Raisins and Pecans
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- Stout, Pecan and Ginger Bread (Vegan)
- Curry Leaf Vegan Garlic Bread
- Simple Buckwheat Pizza Dough
- Vegan Cornbread with Roasted Tomatoes
- Spruce Tips and Caper Focaccia
How to Make Champagne Grape Almond Swirl Bread
What I loved most about these champagne grapes is that because they’re much smaller they work really well in baking. Larger grapes have so much liquid in them that they can leach into your baking, making it hard for your bake to cook fully. But since these grapes are so small, they won’t impede your bake. This bread has two cups of champagne grapes folded into the batter. The batter itself is pretty simple and can all be made in one bowl. We used a combination of all-purpose and spelt flour, to add a little bit of flavor. If you prefer, you can use whole wheat flour, only all-purpose flour, or an all-purpose gluten-free flour. Use whatever you like and have on hand. The flours and the other dry ingredients are mixed together, and then the wet ingredients are added to it. After the two are combined, you can fold the grapes into the batter. Use a loaf pan with taller sides to help your loaf rise. To swirl the bread pour half the batter into the pan, followed by half the almond butter, and repeating with the second half of the batter and the remaining almond butter. Use a chopstick or a knife and move it through the batter, bringing it up and down slightly as well as side to side. After that your bread goes into the oven and comes out golden with a perfectly cracked crust. This bread has a delicate crumble so it’s best to let it cool fully in the pan before running a knife around the edges and flipping the loaf out. And that’s it- enjoy your almond butter and grape loaf!
Champagne Grape Almond Butter Swirl Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup spelt flour (alternatively you can substitute for white or whole wheat)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- ½ tsp. ground cloves
- ½ tsp. salt
- ¾ cup vegan yogurt
- 1/3 cup neutral-flavored oil
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 cups champagne grapes (aka black Corinth grapes)
- ½ cup almond butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare a 9x5 inch loaf pan by greasing the bottom and sides. Wash your grapes, remove from the stems, and pat dry gently with a clean kitchen towel.
- Combine the flours, sugar, baking powder, spices, and salt together in a large bowl and whisk together. Add the vegan yogurt, oil, vanilla extract and a quarter cup of water and mix until there are no lumps (but don’t overmix!). Add the grapes and gently fold to combine.
- Add half the batter to the prepared pan. Spread a layer of about ¼ cup almond butter on top. Add the rest of the batter, and top with the remaining ¼ cup of almond butter. Use a chopstick and drag it gently through the depth of the batter to slightly swirl the almond butter. Place your pan in the preheated oven, and bake for 90 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the loaf comes out clean. Let the loaf cool fully before removing form the pan.
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