Weekly Recipe #238: Chef Steven's Cranberry Poppyseed Bread

This award-winning bread is one of Open Arms Executive Chef Steven Howard’s favorite holiday recipes, perfect for baking a few days before having guests. You can also use frozen cherries instead of cranberries.

Chef Steven’s Cranberry Poppyseed Bread

(Makes three 9-inch loaves)

Ingredients:

• 1 ¼ cups (2 ½ sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 2 ½ cups sugar
• 8 egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ cup poppy seeds
• 1 ¼ cups sour cream
• 2 cups cranberries
• 2 cups walnuts
• 12 egg whites

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Butter and flour three 9-by-5 inch loaf pans.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar.
4. Mix in the eggs yolks and vanilla and beat well.
5. Stir in the flour, soda, baking powder and poppy seeds, and beat into the mixture.
6. Stir in the sour cream, then the cranberries and walnuts.
7. In the clean, dry bowl of an electric mixer, whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form; fold into the batter.
8. Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pans and bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the center springs back to the touch.
9. Let cool, then remove from the pan.