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Life changing banana bread

Life-changing banana bread – Canadian eh?

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Give us our daily banana bread…but please add Quebec maple syrup.

Even non banana bread lovers will be won over with this Canadian version sweetened with maple syrup and topped with a maple, nut crumble. So good eh?

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Don’t even consider using anything but real Quebec maple syrup.

Crumble

  • 3/4 cup of nuts, lightly toasted and finely chopped. You can use walnuts, pecans or flaked or slivered almonds.
  • 2 teaspoons of Quebec maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup of brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup softened butter

Combine all ingredients except the butter in bowl. Add the butter and mix with your fingertips until the crumble is just moistened and set aside.

Bread

Preheat the oven to 350F and butter a six-cup (1.5 litre) 10 x 4-inch loaf pan and line it with a sheet of parchment paper, letting it hang over both the 10-inch sides.

  • 1  1/4 cups very ripe bananas, mashed with a fork (about 3 bananas)
  • 3/4 cup Quebec maple syrup (Aunt Jemima’s? Forgetaboutit)
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  •  1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Whisk together the bananas, maple syrup, butter and eggs and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt. With a wooden spoon or spatula, stir in the banana mixture until the batter is just moistened.

Spread the batter in the prepared pan. Sprinkle on the maple crumble. Bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle of the loaf comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack before lifting from the pan by the parchment paper.

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C’est bon? Mais oui!
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Going bananas on Monday: Life changing banana bread recipe

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Five things make this gourmet banana bread the best ever. 1. Chocolate chunks from a high quality chocolate bar…I used Lindt. 2. Moistness in the form of sour cream or yoghurt. 3. Real butter. 4. The embedded lemony, sugary half banana slices. 5. The recipe makes two of them.

This recipe for chocolate banana bread makes the best banana bread I’ve ever tasted. It’s not bragging if it’s true. Often gourmet means hard-to-find ingredients, multiple complex steps and lots of dishes to deal with. Not so here. It’s easy to make and you won’t be sorry the recipe makes two loaves. I gave my second loaf to our coffee date pals to take home but you could easily freeze the other loaf (peel off the banana half topping first though as it won’t freeze well). If you don’t eat the other whole loaf in one day…almost impossible but…peel off the banana topping slices (and eat them) before wrapping up the leftovers for the following day.

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  • 1 cup very ripe bananas mashed with a fork (about two bananas)
  • 1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt (you could get away with vanilla yogurt if that’s all you have)
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 2 eggs (I got mine from Lucy down the road…choose free-range if you can…caged chickens have a terrible life)
  • 1 1/2 cups lightly packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (use the real stuff if you can)
  • 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter
  • 6 oz. dark chocolate chopped
  • 2 bananas, cut in half lengthwise
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp sugar

IMG_7911Butter two loaf pans and line each with parchment paper, letting it hang over the sides.

Preheat your oven to 350F.

In a bowl, mash your bananas and combine with the sour cream or yogurt.

In another bowl, sift the flour, baking soda and salt and set aside.

In a third bowl with an electric mixer (or a whisk and a lot of elbow grease), beat the butter until soft and fluffy and add the eggs one at a time until well combined and light. Then add in the brown sugar and vanilla and beat a few more minutes. Stir in the flour mixture alternating with the banana cream mixture. Do not overbeat at this point just mix until combined. With a spatula, stir in the chocolate and spread batter into the pans.

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I left the chocolate quite chunky as it gives a nice chocolate surprise effect.

Place the banana halves on a plate and sprinkle with the lemon juice and sugar.

IMG_7914.JPGPlace the banana halves on top of the batter and push them in lightly.

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Bake in the 350F oven with the rack in the middle position for 45 to 50 minutes. They are done when the tops are a light golden brown and a toothpick or knife inserted in the centre of the loaf comes out clean.

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Remove from pan after a few minutes of cooling. I like my banana bread warm so I don’t wait for it to cool completely. Sprinkle a bit more sugar on the top.

IMG_7924Et voila. My French bread plate says, “Give us our daily bread.” Should have added in the word “banana”.

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