Cookbook review by Tracey Zabar
There are lots of yummy banana bread recipes in this sweet cookbook, some with caramel or chocolate chips. I loved a clever version with passion fruit in the batter and dried banana chips topping the sweet icing of the finished cake. But start with this classic, studded with nuts. Next on my list: tea bread that is soaked with booze; Japanese sponge cake; and pain d’épices, a spicy cake that is way better than any gingerbread I have ever tasted.
Recipe excerpted with permission from Banana Breads, Loaf Cakes, & Other Quick Bakes: 60 Deliciously Easy Recipes for Home Baking, Ryland Peters & Small Recipe: Julian Day, Photo: Steve Painter © Ryland Peters & Small
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Banana & Walnut Bread
This is such a flexible recipe too; you can use dried fruit in place of the walnuts or even just leave it plain. Slice and serve spread with butter, or try it toasted for a tasty change at breakfast.
1 large or 2 small very ripe bananas
40 g/3 tablespoons salted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
100 g/ ¾ cup self-raising/self-rising flour
70 g/ ½ cup caster/granulated sugar
a pinch of salt
1 egg
100 g/ 2/3 cup chopped walnuts
450-g/1-lb. loaf pan, greased and lined with parchment paper
MAKES 1 LOAF CAKE
Preheat the oven to 150° C (300° F) Gas 2.
In a large bowl, mash the banana with a fork. Add the butter, flour, sugar and salt and stir together. Add the egg, followed by the walnuts, and beat into the mixture. This can also be done with an electric stand mixer or a hand-held electric whisk.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared loaf pan, spread level and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean.
This loaf is best eaten within a day or 2 of baking, but will keep for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
Tracey Zabar's Chocolate Chip Sweets: Celebrated Chefs Share Favorite Recipes is available here.
A delectable collection of innovative chocolate chip recipes by world-renowned chefs, pastry chefs, and bakers
Tracey Zabar's One Sweet Cookie Cookbook is available here.
A delicious collection of cookie recipes from extraordinary chefs, pastry chefs, and bakers. A great gift sure to delight anyone who loves to bake.
