mmmm chocolatey

[schmerica]

barnacling wanted the recipe for the chocolate banana bread I made today. It is om nom technology 100%. Like the cookies last week, this recipe is also from Dorie Greenspan's Baking: From My Home To Yours (except this one is an exact quote, rather than me lazily paraphrasing). So far everything I've made from this book has been awesome.

In the book, she calls this recipe "Cococa-Nana Bread" but I'm not a big fan of that title because it makes me think of coconut rather than chocolate. She also recommends this as an excuse to eat lots and lots of chocolate for breakfast, which I definitely approve of.

Chocolate Banana Bread

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 ripe bananas, mashed
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped OR 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9×5 inch loaf pan and place it on an insulated baking sheet or on two regular baking sheets one on top of the other. This extra insulation will keep the bottom of the bread from overbaking.

Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt and baking soda.

Working with a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter at medium speed for about a minute until soft. Add the sugars and beat for 2 minutes more. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for a minute after each addition. At this point, the batter may look a little curdled- it’s ok. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the mashed bananas. Add the dry ingredients in three additions, mixing only until they disappear into the batter. Still on low speed, add the buttermilk, mixing until it is incorporated. Stir in the chopped chocolate. Scrape batter into prepared pan.

Bake for 30 minutes. Cover the bread loosely with a foil tend to keep the top from getting too dark, and continue to bake for another 40-45 minutes (total baking time is between 70 and 75 minutes), or until a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for at least 20 minutes before running a knife around the edges of the bread and unmolding it. Invert and cool to room temperature right side up.

In other news I am reading the entire backlog of Kate Beaton comics. I feel this was a good life choice. Also I am currently making chicken stock! I will let you all know how that turns out tomorrow.

Comments

[barnacling.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I may try this next weekend.

[raucousraven.livejournal.com]

Kate Beaton! I find her work so delightful. Also, the recipe looks delicious. If you have any thoughts on how it would work with whole wheat flour, I'd be there for that.