Fruit, Vegetable & Nut Breads

Dried fruits, especially currants and raisins, are commonly paired with candied peel, essential in breads such as Welsh bara brith (speckled bread) or Irish barm brack (freckled bread). Fresh fruits such as banana, berries or citrus fruits are particularly popular in North American sweet batter breads and muffins, often served with butter or a spread such as fresh cream cheese or lemon curd. Birnenbrot, made with pears and walnuts and flavored with kirsch and black pepper, is celebrated in Switzerland, while coconut is a popular Caribbean ingredient for breads such as boija.