Blue Cheese Pecan Bread
By Kim Morgan • Dec 7th, 2008 • Category: Bread
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My week got away from me as usual- Macaron marathon baking once again, 350 of them to be exact! I agreed to donate that many for two events and spent the better part of my early mornings before work and my day off crafting those devilish little French rounds of joy……
I am pleased to say that all of my Macaron halves had HAPPY FEET, which I still look in the oven door for at around 7 minutes and jump with excitement when I see them dancing away on the baking sheet. Now if I could only get perfect round shapes all of the time, I would have Happy Feet! Practice, practice and more practice, and working on my pastry bag skills is needed to even come close to acquiring the skills.
Wanting a change of scenery and something savory to smell in the house and only having an hour to do the trick. I opted to make this bread which I have had my eye on for some time. It is a snap to make, the house smelled wonderful all morning, and my daughter adored this bread. It is a light bread in texture and the flavor is very interesting, you don’t expect the blue cheese and pecans inside which are paired with crushed pepper on the top of the bread. I had a smiggin of a taste warm from the oven and imagine that-toasted is the premiere way to go. Be forewarned this made a massive loaf and I regret not making two loaves instead of the one that was suggested.
This is the kind of bread that you could serve to impromtu visitors with some fresh fruit, dried meats and a hearty glass of red wine and they would be wowed. Perfect to have for the holidays and through the cold winter months. Enjoy!
Blue Cheese Pecan Bread
Adapted:Martha Hall Foose- Screen Doors and Sweet Tea
Makes one large 10″ loaf or two smaller loaves
4 cups of unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into
1/2 inch pieces, chilled
2/3 cup blue cheese crumbled
3/4 cup toasted chopped pecans
1 1/2 cup buttermilk plus 1 tablespoon for brushing on bread
1 large egg, beaten
Freshly ground black pepper
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
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In a large bowl, sift together your flour, salt, powder and soda. Cut the butter pieces into the flour mixture using your fingers or a pastry blender and blend till the mixture resembles coarse oatmeal.
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Add the toasted pecans and blue cheese and toss till well coated.
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Make a well in the center and add your beaten egg and buttermilk and mix with a wooden spoon till you have a shaggy dough.
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Toss the mixture onto a lightly floured surface and kneed till it comes together.
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Make your desired bread loaves, either one large or two smaller and put onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
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With a sharp knife score an X across the top about 1/4 inch deep on each loaf.
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Brush the loaves with the remaining buttermilk and then generously grind some coarse black pepper over the tops of the loaves. Don’t be bashful on this part, especially if you like pepper.
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Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce oven to 375degrees and continue to bake. 35 more minutes for the large loaf and about 20 minutes for the smaller loaves.
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It should be toasty brown on top and hollow when you thump the bottom of the loaf.
Martha suggests to serve this bread toasted with a good red wine, which sounds great if I drank. I would also serve some fresh fall fruit with it as well. It is a beautiful bread and wrapped up would make an easy hostess gift. Martha suggests to bring this bread and a bottle of wine as a gift and promises that you will be invited back again. She is so right, you might get another invitation on the spot.
The loaf was gigantic so unless you have a huge crowd make two loaves instead of the one.
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Kim Morgan is the aspiring writer, photographer & passionate cook of ayankeeinasouthernkitchen.com; she is currently cooking Southern food, one stick of butter at a time.
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The picture of the bread is perfect Kim. The wind is howling and wiping around here in Pa., a perfect day for staying inside and making this bread. You’re in macaroon heaven !! I hope you get them just the way you want them to be, perfect!
Gorgeous! That bread looks fantastic! Really delicious…
Cheers,
Rosa
Love the combination of blue cheese and pecans, that would make an awesome bread. And glad to hear that the macarons had Happy Feet!
I can only imagine the wonderful smells coming from your kitchen of macaroons baking and this wonderful savory bread.
What an interesting recipe! I am always a little surprised by combinations involving blue cheese. I’m also still a little surprised that I often like them. This recipe grew on me as I read down the page and by the time you had paired it with fresh fruit, dried meat and a glass of red wine I was sold! Now if I could just get up the nerve to try making macarons…
That sounds fabulous. I’ve never made bread not in a loaf pan before.
Oooh. I’ve made savory goat cheese scones before, but no blue cheese breads. Something to look forward to after exams, perhaps.
sadly, i could probably put away that whole hunk o’ bread at once. i like to think that i have a hollow leg, and that’s where it all goes.
This sounds delightful…wow, just love it! I’m pretty sure I could eat it in one sitting, I’m bad like that!
This looks fabulous! I still have some blue cheese left over: hmm, I think they’ve found their calling. Thanks!
Hey Kim – Hope all is well – this bread looks yummy – a nice savory counterpoint to all the sweet stuff flying around this time of the year!Fruitcake is finally up on my site. Also, I am wondering how I get a personal macaron lesson, short of flying to Charlotte! All the best – Lisa
Is that 10 “inches” or 10 “feet” around?
Kim this sounds really good. Blue cheese and pecans? I’m pouring the wine right now, pass the bresola!
That looks amazing!
NAOmni
This really sounds stunning. I don’t have a time slot to bake this but I do have the blue cheese . . .
bread. cheese. pecans. yum! I love your idea of dinner: fresh fruit, cheese, bread and wine. Sounds lovely!
I like cheese cakes very much. Its a great idea of preparing cheese pecan bread. Its lovel, may we can also add cranberries.
Thanks
Emily
I recently made a bread with feta, but this sounds super delicious. I love blue cheese even better, and with pecans, it sounds so tasty.
I made this too, I think in August or so. I blogged about it. It is really delicious bread, isnt it? And you are so right, it would go great with some fruit and dried meat! Great idea!
Well I can certainly see WHY Jodycakes nominated you
.
When you have a minute, come check out the award show on our blog – you are a recipient
Mmmmm. Don’t know what I crave more: this bread or those rich pecan cheddar biscuits. : )
This sounds absolutely incredible! I may make this for my brother for his birthday – he loves blue cheese AND pecans!
love this flavor combo
That bread looks really good! I like the sound of a pecan and blue cheese bread.
Have a great new year!
Kim—hi, hope you are well. This bread looks fabulous. I will be baking this over the next day or so. I hope you have a wonderful new year. Thanks for stopping by the vibrant table. Take Care, R.
You house must have smelled wonderful while baking this delicious bread. Happy New Year to you and yours Kim!
This looks absolutely amazing and my mouth just watered reading the ingredients. Great job!
How delicious! We’ll take a bit of extra cheese spread on our’s.
Yummy! And it’s a quick bread too. I must try it! I made challah this week and it took me all day (waiting for it to rise, rest, etc) It was worth it, but yours looks yummy and so easy!
You have not posted for a while– is your year as a southern cook over?! Please post again soon!!!
Kelli, I have been wondering the same thing…even emailed her, but no response
I know it’s the blogging world, but I do worry about my blogging friends! Hope you are ok, Kim…
This looks like a delicious loaf. I’ll bet it smelled wonderful too!
Great foodie blog!
We’d love for you to join our recipe card swap!
http://www.swap-bot.com/swap/show/30141
Share your favorite recipes and get some new ones to try! Check it out! Tell your friends!
Yes, you have not posted since a long while… I hope everything’s ok.
Cheers,
Rosa
Hi Kim,
I’m just echoing Kelli/Comment #29. Please say your year is not over. I just found your blog today and hope for much more.
I love the flavor combination that you have in this bread!
It’s been a while since we’ve heard from you. Is everything okay?
Hi! This post was the first post that I ever read on your blog and I just wanted to let you know that it inspired me to buy Screen Doors & Sweet Tea (and I now love that cookbook so much). I’ve also made this bread a few times and I love it every time. So, thank you so much for posting this delightful recipe — I absolutely love it. Your blog is wonderful & congratulations on the birth of your new grandchild!
[...] here lately and so it’s high time for some savory. Kim Morgan writes about food on her blog A Yankee In a Southern Kitchen and here is yet another brilliant Southern delight from her long [...]