Grapefruit-Ginger Tea Bread

White whole-wheat flour is made from naturally light-colored wheat and adds fiber to baked goods without creating too much heaviness. It can be found in health food stores or online from King Arthur Flour or Bob’s Red Mill. You can substitute with unbleached all-purpose flour.

ingredient list

Makes 1 loaf (16 slices)

Bread

• ¾ cup pecans (3 oz.)
• 2 cups white whole-wheat flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 2 large eggs
• 6 oz. nonfat vanilla yogurt
• 1/4 cup milk
• 3 Tbs. canola oil
• 2 grapefruit, supremed (see below), segments coarsely chopped, juice reserved for Glaze
• 1 Tbs. grapefruit zest
• 1/2 cup chopped crystallized ginger
•  

Glaze

• 2/3 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. freshly squeezed grapefruit juice

Directions

1. To make Bread: Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 9- x 5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Spread pecans on baking sheet, and toast 6 to 7 minutes, or until pecans are fragrant, tossing once. Cool slightly, and chop.
2. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in large bowl. Set aside.
3. Beat eggs in separate bowl. Whisk yogurt, milk, and canola oil into eggs. Stir in grapefruit pieces and zest.
4. Fold egg mixture into flour mixture until just moistened and no lumps remain. Fold in crystallized ginger and chopped pecans. Transfer to prepared loaf pan, and bake 55 to 60 minutes, or until deep brown around edges, and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 1 hour on wire rack; remove from pan, and cool completely.
5. To make Glaze: Whisk together confectioners’ sugar and 1 Tbs. grapefruit juice in small bowl. Stir in additional 1/2 tsp. juice to achieve thick, but pourable, consistency. Add remaining 1/2 tsp. juice drop by drop, if necessary. Place foil beneath wire rack to catch drips. Turn loaf upside down so flat side is up, and drizzle Glaze over loaf. Allow Glaze to set before slicing.

How to Supreme a Grapefruit

One challenge in cooking with grapefruit is peeling away the thick pith beneath the skin and the bitter membrane that surrounds the pulp. The solution is a culinary technique called supreming. Here’s how to do it:

1. Trim ends all the way to juicy flesh.   
2. Stand fruit upright, and remove peel and pith with knife, following curve of fruit from top to bottom. (A small, serrated paring knife works best.)   
3. Holding fruit over a bowl, cut sections along membranes as if you were
 slicing out a wedge, releasing them one by one.   
4. Set supremes aside, and squeeze membrane “skeleton” over bowl to release any remaining juice.