I can't believe I haven't made banana bread before. It's everything I love in baking but for some reason I didn't make it for myself until I thought it might be a nice recipe to share with you. So as I always do when I create my recipes I made the basic version, and then came up with how I would improve it. This time, as so many times before, the choice landed on brown butter and chocolate. Don't judge me, it just makes everything better! Don't skip the tip at the end about slathering it in cinnamon butter either, if you're gonna indulge in this you should just do it properly. Your will thank yourself!
Banana bread
125 g soft butter
160 + 40 g light muscovado sugar
2 eggs
3 brown bananas, or about 450 g of moshed bananas
1 nice banana
210 g flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
50 g milk chocolate
50 g dark chocolate
extra butter and flour for the tin
cinnamon butter (just beat together some butter and cinnamon, done)
maple syrup
1. We are going to start by browning, chilling and softening the butter. Note! If you can't be bothered with this step you can just use 100 g normal softened butter, it won't have the same depth of flavor but it will still taste great!
2. Start by browning the butter, get it nice and brown and smelling fantastic. I generally take it off when it starts getting a bit frothy on top.
3. Pour into a bowl and cover with clingfilm and put in the fridge until it goes solid again. Then take it out and let it soften to room temperature.
4. Set your oven to 200° C.
5. Butter and flour a 1,5 liter loaf tin and set aside.
6. Mosh the brown bananas and set aside.
7. Beat the butter and the large amount of sugar for a few minutes until light and fluffy.
8. Beat in the eggs one at a time and let it fully incorporate before you add the next one.
9. Fold in the moshed bananas and resist the urge to throw it all away because it looks disgusting, it's gonna get good I promise.
10. Mix all the dry ingredients and fold them in slowly in the banana mixture until just combined.
11. Pour into your prepared tin and level out slightly.
12. Slice your nice banana and dip it into the small amount of sugar, getting a nice thin layer.
13. Place on top of the batter cut side up.
14. Bake for 45 - 55 minuts until golden brown and no batter comes off if poked in the middle.
15. Let cool completely before slicing and serving with a nice layer of cinnamon butter, and just maybe a drizzle of maple syrup.
16. Enjoy!
