Bread in a Jar

My fiance is currently in Afghanistan. I love to bake for him, but sending homemade cookies to Afghanistan probably isn't the best idea. While mail has been quick to get to him so far, there's the potential for it taking a long time to get there (up to 6 weeks), which would result in stale, no-good baked goods, not to mention the potential for high temperatures, which would melt anything chocolate.

Enter my Weight Watchers leader. She sent me an email one day saying she had read this article and thought maybe it was something I could do for my fiance. Here's the article: "Baking Cakes in Canning Jars." I had heard about this before, but didn't know how to do it. The idea is brilliant! Basically, you take any cake or quick bread recipe and mix it up as usual. Fill wide-mouth pint-sized canning jars to the 1 cup mark. Bake for approximately 15 minutes less than the recipe calls for. When a toothpick inserted into the cake or bread comes out clean, remove jars from the oven. While jars are still hot, put a lid on each jar and screw a ring on, but not too tightly. The heat from the jars will cause the lids to seal. You should hear a popping sound, which will let you know the lids are sealed. I wouldn't recommend storing these for a prolonged period of time, but it's certainly a great option for sending baked goods to Afghanistan, or wherever else your loved ones might be. {For more detailed instructions, view the article.}

So far, I have sent banana bread and pumpkin bread. I just made white chocolate raspberry lemon bread, which is the recipe I will share below. According to my fiance, he and his fellow Marines have thoroughly enjoyed these homemade treats, and it makes me happy to be able to send him something other than packaged snacks from the store. Now I just have to figure out how to make cookies in a jar.... :)

As always, my notes, changes, additions, etc. will be posted below in blue.



White Chocolate Raspberry Lemon Bread
from Taste of Home Everyday Light Meals
Yield: 1 loaf (12 slices) or approx. 3 pint-sized jars

What You Need
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg
2 egg whites
1 cup reduced-fat lemon yogurt {I used fat free.}
1/2 cup canola oil
2 tsp. grated lemon peel
1 cup fresh raspberries {I used frozen berries, but I would recommend fresh, because my batter ended up a grayish color.}
1/2 cup white chocolate chips

How To Do It
~ Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
~ In a large bowl, combine the first five ingredients.

~ In another bowl, whisk together the egg, egg whites, yogurt, oil, and lemon peel.

~ Add to the dry ingredients and mix just until moistened.

~ Fold in the raspberries and white chocolate chips.

~ Transfer to 3 wide-mouth pint-sized canning jars that have been sprayed with cooking spray (or 1 8-in. x 4-in. x 3-in. loaf pan). You may have a little batter left over that will be enough to make one or two muffins.

~ Bake at 350 degrees F. for 60-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

~ Once out of the oven, place lids and rings on jars. You will hear a popping sound after awhile, which is how you will know the jars are sealed.

~ As you can tell, I filled my jars a little too full. I just cut the top of the bread off, and we ate that part.  You will need the bread to be level with or below the top of the jar to be able to place the lid.

~ Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, tighten rings.

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