Cheesy Veggie Loaf with Miso Butter

On my recent trip back to NZ I kind of found myself back in a cheese scone phase. Not sure what it is, but there is something about a really great cheese scone that just hits the spot! And now I’m on the hunt for the BEST cheese scone in Melbourne, so drop your recommendations!

If you’ve been following along, you’d know that we have recently moved to Melbourne (for a year at least). I’m in a completely new space and playing with a new photography set up/studio. So I have to admit this recipe was the direct result of me wanting to combine my love for cheese scones and also create something pretty to practice my flash photography.

So here you have a hybrid cheese scone and savoury loaf recipe that also looks really pretty. It’s freezer friendly, has hidden veggies (you can’t taste them I promise) and a really tasty recipe! I kinda love that it makes 2 loaves, and makes for excellent meal prep because I will slice it up and pop it in the freezer for snacks through out the weeks.

My new studio and photography set up has been stressing me out a tiny bit, because I have primarily been a natural light photographer for my whole photographer life (since I was 15)! And artificial studio lights have intimidated me for the longest time so I only dabbled here and there (and hated it everytime TBH lol). But I feel like I’ve turned a new leaf (mainly because I have to haha!) and I’m starting to get the hang of it and feel very proud of how these images turned out! I almost can’t believe it’s artificial light.

As for the lighting set up: I’ve used 2x Godox Ad600 pro’s. One with a Snoot (a cheap modifier that I purchased of Amazon) and the other with a Godox 165cm Umbrella with a diffuser sheet over it (*chefs kiss* for the best light spread).

Camera: Canon R5 with a EF 100mm Macro lens (my favourite for food photography) + an inexpensive new addition to my gear collection - a black mist lens filter which creates a very dream effect to the images. I LOVE.

serves: 20 slices / 2 loaves

time: 1 hr baking

Ingredients:

• 500g Plain Flour

• 200g grated cheese + 30g extra for the topping - I did a mixture of mostly aged cheddar and small dash of parmesan

• 1 tsp sugar

• 3 tsp / 15g baking powder

• 1 tsp table salt

• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

• 1 medium carrot, grated

• 1 medium zucchini, grated

• 1 tbsp chopped dill or chives

Wet Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups / 350g milk

• 2 eggs

• 1/4 cup / 58g light olive oil / or neutral oil

• 1 tsp miso paste

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 180 degree C fan bake. Grease and line two small loaf tins with baking paper.

Add flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, garlic powder and chopped herbs into a large mixing bowl. Use a spatular to mix together. Add in grated cheese, carrot and zucchini, mix to coat in flour.

In a separate mixing bowl whisk together all of the wet ingredients.

Pour wet ingredients into the large mixing bowl with the dry ingredients and fold together with spatular until combined.

Spoon the batter evenly between the two loaf tins. Sprinkle the extra grated cheese on the top andbBake for 55-60minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Cool on wire racks for 15-20minutes (this will make it easier to cut). Serve slightly warm with miso butter.

Store in an air tight container and is best warmed up the next day.

Miso butter recipe:

• 100g salted butter (at room temperature)

• 2 tsp miso paste

• 1 tsp maple syrup

Whip all ingredients together with electric beater until light and fluffy.

Enjoy!