I had ripe bananas in my freezer and needed to use them – so I printed Ivonne’s fantastic recipe, fixed it on my freezer door then started preparing and measuring the ingredients to bake.
There was a problem, though - the bananas were much too soft and I couldn’t dice them – I ended up mashing them.
Checking the Internet I found this Bill Granger's recipe on Nigella’s website.
The bread is delicious – the sweet flavor of the bananas and the semisweet/bitter flavor of the chocolate are perfect together.
I tried so hard to have only one slice… Maybe it’s time I accepted the fact that I’m not a very strong person. ;)
I halved the recipe and used a 19x8cm loaf pan – it is only 5cm deep and I was afraid that making the whole recipe would have caused the batter to overflow.
Bill’s choc banana bread
250g all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
125g unsalted butter, softened
250g sugar
4 ripe bananas, mashed
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
175g good-quality dark or milk chocolate chips – I used semisweet
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Grease and flour a 19x11cm loaf pan.
Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl.Mix the butter, sugar, banana, eggs, vanilla extract and chocolate chips in a separate bowl. Add to the dry ingredients and stir to combine, being careful not to overmix.Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until the bread is cooked when tested with a skewer.Leave to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool.
Serve in thick slices with butter.
Makes 8 to 10 slices
In the kitchen since the age of 11 and having loads of fun with it.
I just love banana bread! And Nigella's recipe is just great!!!
ReplyDeleteLooks like a perfect snack with afternoon tea!
ReplyDeleteyum-my!! this looks amazing!!!!
ReplyDeleteMy wife tried making Banana bread the other night but it came out sorta mushy!
ReplyDeleteThis looks sooo good! I'm going to try it this weekend.
ReplyDeleteBanana bread is my all-time favorite! And with chocolate? Bring it on!
ReplyDeletePat, I think that banana is a fruit that goes through an amazing chemical process when baked and its flavour becomes even more wonderful. Combining it with chocolate must be just fantastic. Great choice of recipe! and seems pretty easy too.
ReplyDeleteI love chocolate and bananas! And I know what you mean about trying to not have more than one slice. Last night, while having dessert at this place in Brooklyn called The Chocolate Room, I was the last person in our group to finally put my fork down (begrudingly I might add). My husband said I needed a chocolate intervention! :(
ReplyDeleteHi, Piperita - tks for visiting my blog!
ReplyDeleteLydia, very good indeed, you're right. :)
Linda, tks, dear!
Jeff, maybe the bananas were much too ripe?
Martha, tks for stopping by! I'd be glad to hear from you again.
Susan, isn't this combination perfect? :)
Tina, my dear, I made it in a heart beat - really quick to put together.
I love baking with bananas, apples and pears, you're right!
Lia, I love them too! My dear, I totally understand you - if I was having dinner in a place called "The Chocolate Room" I'd be the last person to leave the place! lol
Tell your husband that women and chocolate have a special bond. ;)
Makes me wish I hadn't eaten all those bananas, and let them get more ripe instead! Last time I made banana bread, I used one more banana than was called for in the recipe. Banana pudding in the form of a loaf would describe the result better than bread!
ReplyDeletePat, I can tell this recipe is a good one... 4 bananas! Yes, the more the merrier! I used to freeze banana too, they worked fine in cake. However my husband had a stomach problem and his doctor advised him not to take banana (what a strange advice...), so now I seldom buy this fruit. Really miss this cake!
ReplyDeleteYou are on a chocolate chip roll here girl. Banana Bread is just so good. Yours looks lovely. And Lays Potato Chips thinks it has a monopoly on eating just one. Two slices of banana bread is getting to right and then maybe...
ReplyDeletePatricia this looks great, it's hard to beat the combination of chocolate and bananas! During the summer months here I like to get chocolate covered banana pops at the Renn Faires - so delicious, so much fun!
ReplyDeleteAri (Baking and Books)
Toni,
ReplyDeleteI'm sure your banana pudding was delicious, too - the creamy texture must have tasted great!
Gattina,
It was the first time I froze bananas, following a tip of one of my books. It's great because they would have gone to the garbage can and I hate wasting food.
I'm sorry for your husband, it must be so bad living without bananas! :(
Tanna, thank you! Chocolate chips are always delicious, aren't they?
I had a laugh with your comment - really hard to eat with moderation when food tastes that good. ;)
Ari,
Tks, dear! You just gave me this fabulous idea - I'm sure my 13-year-old sister would love those banana pops!
Banana bread is one of my favorite things. Adding chocolate? All the better! Looks great!
ReplyDeleteooh give me some of that and a cup of brazillian coffee, I'm done for the day, thanks for sharing, Patricia :))
ReplyDeleteBanana and chocolate chips! YUM!!! What's not to love about banana bread, especially if chocolate chips are involved ;)
ReplyDeleteKristen, thank you!! What could go wrong with chocolate, right? ;)
ReplyDeleteMelting Wok, you're so lovely! Tks, dear!
Joey, I'm with you 100%. ;)
I keep bananas in my freezer too! And your delicious bread is justthe thing for them. Wonderful! I love the addition of chocolate.
ReplyDeleteThanks for typing that recipe out so I don't have to! I adore this banana bread and have been attempting to create a cult of Bill Granger. You saved me the trouble of typing it all up to email to people.
ReplyDelete