Chocolate Pistachio Bread: Care Package Favorite

Quick breads that keep well and ship well are great gifts to add to a care package. This Chocolate Espresso Pistachio bread is my all-time favorite quick bread and it was a constant request of my kids and their friends when they were in college. It’s full of chocolate flavor and is an easy recipe that ensures success.

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Is it Healthy?

This is not a low carb recipe due to the flour and sugar, nor is it low in calories. It does, however, pack in a number of healthy ingredients (cacao, pistachios, coffee, and olive oil). 

You can always try the quick breads with almond flour and a granular sugar substitute if you want to modify it to be low carb. 

Sugar substitutes can be a good alternative to regular white sugar, but different substitutes have particular flavors associated with them so it is good to understand what you are working with.  

This information on sugar substitutes may help if you want to go that route.

Why Quick Breads Work Well for Shipping

It’s sometimes difficult to ship treats any distance without the recipient ending up with a crumbly or gooey mess.

Quick breads are great shippable treats because they are easy to wrap, they don’t fall apart and they don’t have delicate fillings that can melt or get gooey.

This recipe was a standard in my kid’s college care packages. Include a card with cash and some non-edible essentials and you’re the mom of the day. Trust me. My son’s friends even gave me shout-outs on social media!

I used olive oil in the recipe to help keep it together more, but it sounds like from the comments below that melted butter worked quite well. Try it and let me know which you used and how you liked it OK?

How to Package Quick Breads for Shipping

After the bread is completely cooled, wrap it with two pieces of plastic wrap, wrapping one piece along the length of the bread and one piece around the width to make sure there are no gaps where air can get in.  

Then wrap the bread in aluminum foil and either freeze for shipping later or place in sturdy tin or a tightly packed box.

You want to stuff the box tightly with paper or other presents so that the bread cannot move around. That is the secret to shipping.

Other Favorite Food Gifts:

• Pumpkin Amaretto Bread is great for Fall or Halloween packages
• Low Carb Zucchini Coconut Bread is good for Spring packages when your “giftee” might be thinking of slimming down for summer shorts and tank tops
• Chocolate and raspberries are always hits for great Valentine’s Day care packages
• Pfeffernusse cookies are an often requested treat for Christmas packages
• Don’t forget something to drink! This herbal mint tea is a perfect pairing.

Chocolate Espresso Pistachio Bread

A moist, rich quick bread that blends slightly bitter notes of chocolate and espresso powder with sugar, eggs and flour for a truly special treat. A favorite in my kids care packages when they were in college!

4.50 from 6 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Servings 10

Calories 409

Author Dorothy Stainbrook

Equipment

• loaf pan ( 8 x 4)
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Stand mixer
• wire whisk
• wire rack For cooling

Ingredients

1x2x3x

• 2 eggs
• ½ cup olive oil can use melted butter
• 1 ½ cup all purpose flour
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 Tbsp espresso powder I love the espresso powder I get from King Arthur Flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ¾ cup pistachios finely chopped
• ½ cup chocolate covered espresso beans optional for garnish

Instructions

 

• Take eggs and butter (if you are using butter rather than oil) out of the refrigerator to come to room temperature. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spray a 8 x 4-inch loaf pan with oil and sprinkle a handful of flour in the bottom and around the sides of the pan. Tilt and shake the pan to get it lightly coated with the flour and then tap out any excess flour onto the counter.
  2 eggs, 1/2 cup olive oil
• In a medium size bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, and salt). Set this aside.
  1 1/2 cup all purpose flour, 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 Tbsp espresso powder, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the eggs and the sugar until light and smooth. Add the oil (or butter), sour cream, and vanilla and mix until combined.
  2 eggs, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup sour cream, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 cup olive oil
• Add the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix until just combined (don’t overmix). Fold in the pistachios.
• Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle some chopped pistachios on top of bread. Bake in the center of the oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean and not wet.
  3/4 cup pistachios
• Cool the bread in the pan for 20 minutes and then invert onto a wire rack, turn right side up and cool completely before wrapping.
  1/2 cup chocolate covered espresso beans

Nutrition

Calories: 409kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 7gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 46mgSodium: 152mgPotassium: 352mgFiber: 4gSugar: 25gVitamin A: 229IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 91mgIron: 2mg

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