Sweet and Spicy Green Tomato Bread

Some years we end up with tomatoes that ripen so late in the season that I have a bumper crop of green tomatoes. I've tried all sorts of recipes to use them up and found this one last year published in a Salt Lake City newspaper. I thought the altitude would be close enough to my own (the city is about 650 feet lower) but I had to tweak this recipe some to achieve correct rising results. I baked about 10 loaves of this bread and finally got one batch that had a bit of a rounded top. I'm not sure how this recipe will work at any altitude other than mine. If you are interested in trying the bread and you live at an altitude of 4300-4500 ft. go to the link below and follow the original recipe. I believe this particular recipe will fail at sea level.

I think I like this bread better than zucchini bread.

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Sweet and Spicy Green Tomato Bread (High Altitude, 5000 ft)

Adapted from Deseret News

Makes 2 loaves (8x4)

2 c finely chopped green tomatoes complete with skins and seeds (I processed these in a food processor until they looked like green mush. I measured 2 cups and let the liquid drain until the solids measured about 1 2/3 c.

1 c plus 1 T granulated sugar 

3/4 c brown sugar

1/2 c plain yogurt, any kind but non-fat

1/2 c oil

3 eggs
1 teas vanilla

1 teas salt

2 2/3 c wheat flour
2/3 c unbleached flour

1/2 teas baking soda

1/4 teas baking powder

1 teas cinnamon

1/2 teas ground cloves

1/4 teas nutmeg

1 c chopped walnuts (your preference)

Note:  I cooked this with frozen chopped tomato, already drained, and it worked just fine.

Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease and flour the loaf pans.

Making the batter can be done by hand. Mix the tomatoes, sugar, yogurt, oil, eggs, vanilla, and salt together in a large bowl, stirring until well blended. Mix dry ingredients (remaining ingredients except for walnuts) in a medium bowl. Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the wet until just moistened. Stir in the walnuts.

Divide the batter into the prepared loaf pans and bake for 45-55 minutes. Test with a toothpick and when it comes out with just a few crumbs, the loaves are done. Let sit on cooling rack for 10 minutes before removing from pans and allow to cool completely before slicing.

In one of my tests, I divided the batter and cooked 12 muffins and one loaf . The muffins turned out wonderfully and had a shorter baking time, 25 minutes. In my most recent baking, I put a streusel topping on the muffins more for appearance than anything else.

Here's a suggested streusel recipe (or you can search the Internet for others). This made enough for the 12 muffins as well as a topping for the loaf. It increases the sweetness of the muffin and depending on who you are that can be a plus or a minus.

1/3 c sugar (either white or brown)
1/2 teas cinnamon
1 T butter
1/2 c finely chopped walnuts

Mix the sugar and cinnamon together. Work the butter in with a fork, smashing it until the butter is mostly incorporated. Stir in the walnuts and sprinkle over the batter in muffin tins.