Peach Ricotta Mini Loaves

Total Time: 50 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/3 cups brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese (the creamy kind sold in a tub)
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 (14 ounce) can peach slices, well drained (fresh peaches can also be used, see instructions for details)
• 2 teaspoons turbinado sugar (approximate measure)

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 350f; spray 4 mini loaf pans with a light spray of nonstick cooking spray (or use 1 9x5 loaf pan, if you wish, but you'll need to bake the one loaf longer, likely about 50 minutes) and set aside.
• 2 sift, through a sieve, the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a mixing bowl; set aside.
• 3 in another mixing bowl, blend together the brown sugar, ricotta, oil, eggs and vanilla; set aside.
• 4 open tin of peaches and drain very well; set aside 8 slices (which you will need to garnish top of loaves).
• 5 dice remaining peach slices to make one cup; if using fresh peaches, you will need one cup diced peaches (peel peaches first) plus the slices for garnish.
• 6 if your diced peaches seem wet (they likely will), pat dry with paper towel.
• 7 add flour mixture to ricotta mixture all at once and stir just until flour is incorporated; do not overstir.
• 8 stir diced peaches into mixture.
• 9 divide mixture between the 4 mini loaf pans and smooth tops.
• 10 place two peach slices atop each, then sprinkle top of each with turbinado sugar, approximately 1/2 tsp per loaf pan.
• 11 bake in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, until tops are golden brown and a tester inserted in centre of loaves comes out clean.
• 12 let cool in pans for 20 minutes, then remove loaves from pans and let cool completely on a rack.