Pineapple flour experiment, continued

As I recently mentioned, in Ghana last summer I was given some flour made from the dried, powdered core of pineapples and asked to try cooking with it.

In the past I've   added things like grated carrot and zucchini and crushed pineapple to cakes, only  to have the whole thing fall apart. Thinking it might have to do with all the juice in the pineapple, I decided to first try making a carrot-pineapple-ginger-lemon quick bread using the pineapple flour instead of fresh pineapple. Also, since pineapple is so sweet (and Ghana's sugar loaf pineapples are especially sweet) I figured I could use less sugar and substitute some of the pineapple flour for some of the wheat flour. 

The jury is still out on the final product: The first evening after I made it, it smelled heavenly and I thought it tasted good, and my husband rated it okay, but a little too sweet and with a slightly bitter aftertaste. The next morning I toasted thin slices and put peanut butter on them, and then I thought there was an aftertaste (maybe it was the peanut butter?). That evening my nephew Sam had some and thought it tasted good. I didn't have a problem with an aftertaste this time.  Sam  carried most of the loaf back with him to his apartment. I'll wait a day or two and give you the final verdict.

Anyhow, here's the recipe I concocted (in U.S. measurements):

Carrot-pineapple loaf

Assemble ingredients:

1/2 cube margarine (50 g)  

1/4 - 1/3 cup sugar (about 60 g)

    1 egg

    1/4 tsp salt 

    1 tsp grated lemon peel

    1 rounded tsp grated lemon peel

    2 medium grated carrots (to get about 1 cup lightly spooned into a U.S. cup)

    1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

    2 tsp baking powder (maybe use less if using white flour)

    3/4 cup wheat flour (75 g) [I used white wholewheat flour, the only thing I had handy]

    a little less than 2/3 cup (50 g) pineapple flour

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and grease or oil a small loaf pan.

Grate carrots, lemon peel and ginger and mix together in a small bowl. Set aside.

Sift together the wheat and pineapple flours, the baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.

In a medium-sized bowl, cream the margarine and sugar together until fluffy (I used a wooden spoon).

Add the egg and beat well.

Stir in the dry sifted ingredients.

Stir in the grated ingredients.

At this point I realized the mixture was too dry, so I added first 1/4 cup of orange juice--still too dry so I added 1/4 cup of low-fat milk.

I baked the mixture about 40-45 minutes, then turned it out on a wire rack to cool. Several hours later I sliced a few slices when it was cool, then wrapped the rest until the next day.

Incidentally,  I've had the flour since June, and have no idea how long ago it was made, so am not sure how fresh it is and whether or not that might account for a slight aftertaste. I'll get back to you when the votes are all finally in. Personally, I think it has real possibilities!