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Just like everyone else, I also have a long list my tried and tested [and improved!] banana bread recipes but that does not stop me from tinkering with a new recipe whenever I have some ageing bananas around. While I am not adverse to nuts in my banana bread, I tend to sidestep walnuts in favor of pecans or hazelnuts. Similarly, instead of chocolate chips, I will invariably resort to chopped dark chocolate or even Nutella because they melt to form larger pockets of chocolaty goodness. This particular recipe is part of the Bon Appétit collection of baking essentials and gets its signature taste from the earthy tones of unrefined dark brown sugar. A liberal dose of mascarpone cheese helps to keep the texture moist without the batter turning dense or sticky which, I believe, can only be the hallmark of a ‘best’ banana bread.
BA’s BEST BANANA BREAD
Ingredients:
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup mascarpone or Greek yogurt
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
4 large very ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup chopped semisweet chocolate
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Method:
- Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly coat a 8 ½” x 4½” loaf pan with nonstick spray and line with parchment.
- Leave a generous overhang on long sides. Whisk flour, baking soda, and kosher salt in a medium bowl.
- Using electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the brown sugar, mascarpone, and butter in a bowl.
- Beat till light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating to blend after each addition.
- Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl. Reduce speed, add flour mixture, and mix until just combined.
- Add bananas and mix until combined. Fold in chocolate and walnuts. Scrape batter into prepared pan.
- Smooth top and bake bread until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, for 60-65 minutes.
- Transfer pan to a wire rack and let bread cool in pan 1 hour. Turn out bread and let it cool completely.
Bon Appetit’s Best Banana Bread
These egg-free muffins will totally fool anyone who strongly believes in the myth ‘eggless cakes can only be dense and chewy, never achieving the sponginess resulting from incorporating beaten eggs into the batter’. I am almost ecstatic to share with you the results of this detectable recipe from Erivum Puliyum, a beautiful blog maintained by Julie who writes about traditional dishes from her homeland, Kerala. The puréed dates and muscovado sugar gives these muffins a faint, almost caramel-like flavour without being sickeningly sweet so be sure to use good-quality dates [I used Maître Prunille Dattes Moelleuses Dénoyautées] to get it right. With the addition of toasted walnuts and bananas, they make a healthy snack box option for kids and adults alike.
BANANA & DATE MUFFINS
Ingredients:
200g dates, pitted
1 cup full cream milk
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1/3 cup butter, unsalted
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/4 cup light muscovado
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of kitchen salt
Method:
- Line 12-hole muffins pan with paper lines or grease the holes with butter and lightly flour them.
- Cream the butter and sugar until smooth and combined. Put the dates in a microwave safe bowl.
- Add milk and heat on high for 2 to 3 minutes until dates are softened or leave soaked overnight.
- Cool this mixture completely and blend the mixture in the blender until it forms a smooth paste.
- Add date paste, mashed banana to creamed butter sugar mixture. Carefully add dry ingredients.
- Lastly add oil, mix it to form a batter without lumps. Fold in toasted walnuts and vanilla extract.
- Pour in the prepared baking pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes till a tooth pick comes out clean.
- Cool muffins in pan for 5 to 10 minutes before turning them out to cool completely on wire rack.
Banana & Date Cake
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