Zucchini Bread with Grilled Fig and Goat Cheese
This recipe creates a delightful zucchini bread, enriched with brown and granulated sugars, lemon zest, and eggs, resulting in a moist and flavorful loaf. It's elegantly served alongside fresh figs, lightly grilled to caramelize their sweetness, and thin slices of ash-covered goat cheese, offering a sophisticated balance of sweet, tangy, and savory flavors perfect for a unique brunch or appetizer.
Equipment
- 1 Electric Mixer Stand or hand mixer for creaming butter and sugar.
- 1 Loaf Pan Standard 9x5 inch loaf pan.
- 1 Box Grater For grating zucchini.
- 1 Grill Pan Alternatively, an outdoor grill for figs.
- 2 Mixing Bowls One large for wet ingredients, one medium for dry.
Ingredients
Main
- 2 sticks ½ pound unsalted butter
- ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ medium lemon zested
- 3 eggs
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tablespoon baking soda
- 1 cup grated zucchini about 1 zucchini
- 8 fresh figs sliced in half lengthwise
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- ⅓ pound sliced ash-covered goat cheese such as ste. maure
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and generously grease and lightly flour a standard loaf pan.
- In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together the unsalted butter, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, and lemon zest until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, ensuring each egg is fully incorporated into the batter before adding the next.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and baking soda until well combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix. Gently fold in the grated zucchini until evenly distributed.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the bread bakes or cools, prepare the figs: Slice the fresh figs in half lengthwise, drizzle lightly with extra-virgin olive oil.
- Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Place the fig halves cut-side down on the hot grill pan and grill for 2-3 minutes, until lightly caramelized and grill marks appear.
- Slice the ash-covered goat cheese into desired portions for serving.
- Once the zucchini bread has cooled, slice it. Arrange slices of zucchini bread on a serving platter with the grilled figs and slices of goat cheese, serving immediately.
Notes
For the zucchini bread, ensure your butter and eggs are at room temperature for a smoother batter. When incorporating the grated zucchini, gently squeeze out any excess moisture to prevent a dense, soggy loaf. Overmixing the flour will develop gluten, resulting in a tougher texture; mix until just combined. The lemon zest brightens the bread's flavor significantly. When grilling the figs, a light drizzle of good quality extra-virgin olive oil will aid in caramelization and add a nuanced peppery note. The ash-covered goat cheese, like Ste. Maure, provides a lovely tang and creaminess that beautifully contrasts the sweet bread and figs. For best flavor and texture, let the goat cheese come to room temperature before serving.