Saturday, May 08, 2010

Weekend Cooking: Choc Banana Bread

This is my second week of participating in Weekend Cooking which is hosted by Beth Fish Reads.

One of the things that surprised me a little last week is the fact many of the ingredients that are pretty much common ingredients here are either called something else, or have only limited availability in other places. I was thinking about doing something about ingredients that we use in different ways, but then I mentioned that I was making Choc Banana Bread, and I had a request to share that one, so if I remember I will do the other one next week.

I don't know about you, but despite the fact that everyone in my house likes bananas every time I buy more than a couple at a time, they end up sitting in the fruit bowl until they have to be thrown out. The alternative is to use them in baking! Now I enjoy baking, and my son enjoys helping me, but I don't do it often simply because he really doesn't like to eat anything that we make. If I do make cakes, I inevitably end up taking them to work, or eatting them all myself which isn't good (well it is, but it isn't really if you know what I mean).

One of my favourite cakes is banana cake. This is actually more of a bread, and in fact is in the breaksfast section of Bill's Food by Bill Granger, but it works for me as a cake as well. Bill Granger is a celebrity chef here with several cafes in Sydney and also a couple in Japan.I have two of Bill Granger's cookbooks, but this is the only recipe that I have tried from them. I have been trying quite a few new recipes lately, so maybe I should have a look through and see if something else catches my eye

I actually have a loaf of this in the oven as we speak. If I remember I will take a photo when we start eating it!

Choc Banana Bread

250g (2 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
125g (4 1/2 oz) unsalted butter, softened
250g (1 cup) caster (superfine) sugar
4 ripe bananas, mashed
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
175g (1 cup) good-quality dark or milk chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius (350F/Gas 4). 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 a non-stick, or lightly greased and floured, 19 x 11 cm (7 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch) loaf tin and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until the bread is cooked when tested with a skewer. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool. Serve in thick slices iwth butter. Makes 8 to 10 slices.



PS - Forgive the photography! I am definitely not a food stylist or photographer!

PPS - True to form the boy didn't like this although how he could tell from the crumb that he tried I have no idea.

PPSS - This has the most delicious crust when it just comes out of the oven! Yum. Need to be careful not to overdose on it tonight!

17 comments:

  1. Hi Marg,

    Bill's Choc Banana Bread is a major favourite in our house, and a bit of a legend amongst anthropologists and rangers in Central Australia.

    I put up the recipe on anthroyogini last year, and had an awesome response, so I hope you get the same.

    And if anyone is reading this and wondering whether they should make: stop wondering. This is THE BEST choc banana bread recipe ever!

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  2. So funny that Amanda mentioned anthropologists! That must be part of the immediate attraction I had to this bread. I cannot wait to try it -- I'll make it just before I leave for BEA so my husband has a treat during the week (don't worry, I'll definitely sample it before I get on the train!).

    The anthropologist part? That was me in a former life.

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  3. while I am not an anthropologist, that looks excellent.
    While I don't like bananas alone, I love them in recipes, and add chocolate...how could that be bad?

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  4. That looks like the kind of goodie my doctor would frown upon - sugar's a no-no for me, or at least in very small quantities :)

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  5. I love banana bread too and I buy extra bananas just so I can let them go bad. I love the idea of adding chocolate. A nice special treat. Thanks for sharing the recipe and giving several measurements.

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  6. I love banana chocolate chip bread! Have you ever tried zucchini chocolate chip bread, Marg? It is also very, very good and as zucchini is so moist on its own, it doesn't require quite the amount of oil that banana bread does.

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  7. Aarti, I love zucchini, and I love chocolate chips, but I am not sure I have ever tried them together.

    Margot, hope you enjoy it if you try the recipe.

    Misfit, it's definitely not something that your doctor would like you to eat, but as a special treat to share with friends maybe it works?

    Caite, it's very good even for non-anthropologists!

    Beth F, nice treat to leave behind for your hubby! I didn't know you used to be an anthropologist!

    Amanda, I can see why it is so popular! Do you have any other Bill Granger favourite recipes that I should try?

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  8. Holy cow, my kids would go absolutely nuts over this! I'm trying it tomorrow night for desert!

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  9. Hope they like it Michele! I took it with me today when I went for lunch, and it got favourable reviews there!

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  10. I know what I'm making tomorrow!! Thanks for the recipe - hope you had a lovely Mother's Day, Marg! *HUG*

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  11. I cannot stand banana in anyway, shape or form!!! But Bill has an awesome coconut bread recipe that is one of my staples. Its is delicious toasted with some homemade lime curd (nigella's recipe is divine and easy), and tastes like an island holiday!

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  12. That bread looks and sounds delicious!

    My husband really likes Bill's Food.

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  13. I just made a couple of these loaves for Mother's Day gifts! It looks as though your recipe is almost identical to mine, though I do sometimes go overboard with the chocolate chips! Your picture is wonderful as well!

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  14. mmmm yummy! Thanks for posting because I have some bananas at home I can use for this. Hopefully I can share it when I'm finished :)

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  15. Hope you like it Jenny Girl!

    Did you have a little taste Zibilee?

    Clover, do you have a favourite recipe I should try?

    Thanks Amanda. I am not sure I would like Coconut Bread, but I might see if I can find the recipe and have a look at it.

    Lyvvie, how did it turn out! Hope you had a lovely Mother's Day too. Must be almost time for a catch up again!

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  16. As far as I'm concerned, banana and chocolate is one of those can't be beat combinations. Am making banana pancakes for dinner this evening. Glad to see you joining in weekend cooking.

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  17. Oh yum! Banana pancakes! My son makes nice ones of those.

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