Variation on a Theme: Chocolate Chip Wholemeal Banana Bread (Wheat- an Dairy Free)

I haven't done banana bread in ages, and seeing as I have a load of overripe bananas hanging around, it seemed timely...

This banana bread is made with wholemeal flour, with the naughty addition of some milk chocolate chips. You can't always be healthy in this life, and this doesn't have any butter so the odd chocolate chip should be okay!

I used the same recipe as my vegan banana bread, with the totally un-vegan addition of two medium eggs. I mixed them into the bananas, oil, and sugar before adding the dry ingredients. I personally like to add eggs for texture and structure, but you don't have to add any eggs if you want to keep it eggless. I also stirred in some milk chocolate chips for added interest.


If you would like to make the bread yourself, here is how you do it.

INGREDIMENTS
This will yield one 8x4 inch (20x10 centimeter) loaf.

• 8 ounces (225 grammes) wholemeal spelt flour
• 1 tablespoon (15 millilitres) baking powder
• 2 teaspoons (10 millilitres) mixed spice
• Pinch of salt
• 3 large overripe bananas
• 3 ounces (85 grammes) soft brown sugar
• 3 fluid ounces (85 millilitres) sunflower oil
• 2 medium eggs
• 2 ounces (55 grammes) chocolate chips, milk or dark, or use dairy free chocolate
• Optional: Golden syrup or honey, for brushing

HOW-TO

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F, Gas Mk.4, or moderate). Grease and flour a loaf pan.
• Sift the flour, baking powder, and spice into a large mixing bowl. In another bowl or large jug, mash the bananas with the sugar and salt until smooth and runny. Beat in the oil and eggs.
• Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour in the banana mixture. Mix with a wooden spoon only until combined. You don't need to beat it, as the texture will be tough if you do.
• Gently fold in the chocolate chips, then pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for about 40 to 45 minutes. Test the loaf with a cocktail stick, and if it's still sticky in the middle, bake for a further 5 minutes. Repeat this process if needed.
• Remove from the oven once baked and allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
• If you would like to glaze your bread, brush the top of the loaf with some golden syrup of honey as soon as it comes out of the oven.
• Eat when it has fully cooled, and store the leftovers in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Kitchen Experiment: One Bowl Cakey Brownies (Wheat Free)

Today is super sunny, and to celebrate that I'm eating a load of chocolate! Here are some super tasty brownies!

 A few weeks ago, I made some American style chocolate chip cookies. As an experiment, I used the same mixture to make a cheesecake base. I found that the base was remarkably like a brownie, only a little more biscuity.

I thought to myself: how can I alter this recipe to make it more brownie-ish? I decided to up the butter and add an extra egg: the extra butter would make them fudgier, and the extra egg would help to hold them together a bit more.

It was very successful! These are cakey brownies, as opposed to fudgy brownies. I'm still working on a formula for super squidgy, super fudgy brownies, which I what I like.

INGREDIMENTS
For a 9 inch (22 centimetre) square tin,

• 1½ ounces (40 grammes) caster sugar
• 4½ ounces (135 grammes) brown sugar
• 6 ounces (170 grammes) butter, at room temperature
• 2 medium eggs
• 1 teaspoon (5 millilitres) vanilla essence
• 5 ounces (140 grammes) white spelt flour
• 1½ ounces (40 grammes) cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon (3 millilitres) baking soda
• 4 ounces (115 grammes) filling: chopped nuts, chocolate chips, dried fruit, etc.

HOW-TO

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F, Gas Mk.4), and lightly grease and flour one 9 inch (22 centimetre) square tin.
• In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar, until light and fluffy.
• Beat in the eggs, one at a time, making sure the first one is completely mixed in before adding the next one. Add the vanilla essence, then stir in the filling.
• Sieve in the flour, cocoa, and baking soda, and mix only until combined: if you overmix the flour, the brownies will be tough.
• Spread the mixture out in the tin, making sure to keep the surface smooth. Place on the centre shelf of the preheated oven for 12 to 14 minutes. Cool completely in the tin, set on a wire rack.

These are delicious warm, and keep well for up to a week in an airtight container. They also go very well with ice-cream right out of the oven...

THIS TIME IN 2015: Treacle Tarts, without Breadcrumbs (Wheat Free)
No blogs on this day in 2013, 2014, nor 2016