(23/100) OUR FAMOUS BANANA BREAD RECIPE - PART 2
It all starts with, you’ve best guessed it, bananas. Each loaf is jam packed with 6 ripe bananas. This really is secret no 1.
They must be perfectly ripe. And mashed gently with lots of chunks to keep the loaves moist and delicious. No fancy food processor needed or desired. Everything else comes second to the bananas being their best.
Getting perfectly over ripe bananas takes some work. In the early days, we were ripening bananas absolutely everywhere. On the tricycles, hanging from the gazebos, on every windowsill we could find. It was a full time job. We would then bake the banana breads overnight and have them going out still warm with butter and honey every morning.
BANANA BREAD RECIPE
(makes 1 big loaf x 10 slices)
6 perfectly ripe big juicy bananas (5 roughly chopped and one sliced lengthways for decoration on top)
125g unsalted butter
4 free range eggs (we use @clarencecourt in all our baking)
1/2 cup roughly chopped walnuts (or any nut you have – macadamia are very nice too)
1 tea spoon of vanilla bean paste (or 1 vanilla bean pod if you have them!)
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon sodium bicarbonate
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 pinch of salt
Pre-heat the oven to 160c.
Cream together butter, sugar & salt until pale. Add eggs one at a time and whisk well with vanilla. Add very roughly chopped banana (approx. 1.5cm square). Gently fold through dry ingredients, walnuts first (sifting together flour, baking powder and bi carb soda and salt.) Don’t overmix here.
Line a 10cm x 28cm x 7cm non-stick loaf tin with greaseproof paper. Place two halves of banana cut lengthways on top facing upwards. Bake for 45- 55 mins, or until a skewer comes out just clean. Do not overcook as it will continue to bake slightly and it’s key it’s not dry - secret no 2.