Huzzah, let’s cheer, it’s the first (new) recipe of the year!
I may have been decluttering around the house but there is nothing minimalist about my drafts folder. It seems that over the last six months, I’ve been hoarding new recipes like they’re going out of fashion. The only problem is, I’ve got so many new recipes to share with you, and not enough time to post them in. I figure now is as good a time to start as any, because… New year and a new recipe!
When we got back from holibobs my neighbour had left me a bunch of brown bananas because she knew I’d be itching to bake after my month long break. What can I say? She knows me so well. It wasn’t long before I was baking all things banana and once I started, I couldn’t stop. Let’s just say my banana baking obsession lasted long after the post holiday bunch of bananas.
This loaf is one of my favourites because the apple makes it marvellously moist and the walnuts give it some value added crunch. It’s a pretty addictive combination. In fact, I’d go so far as to say, that this loaf is worth buying bananas just so they can go brown, because when it comes to baking, the browner the banana, the better!
This recipe uses buttermilk, but there’s no need to go to the shops and buy some – just add a tablespoon of lemon juice to 1 cup of milk, leave it for 5 or 10 minutes – the mixture will curdle slightly – and you’re good to go. Don’t worry about the lumps, they won’t appear in your finished bake, the only chunky bits in this loaf are the juicy apple and crunchy nuts!
So tell me, are you bananas for bananas? Are you a hoarder too?
Ingredients
2 cups (300g) plain flour plus 1 tablespoon extra
3/4 (120g) brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled
85g butter, melted and cooled
1/4 cup (60g) buttermilk
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
250g unpeeled ripe bananas
50g chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon demerara sugar
How to – Traditional
- Preheat oven to 180C / 160C fan-forced. Grease and line a loaf tin.
- Mix flour, sugar, bicarb, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl and set aside.
- Roughly chop the apples and set aside in a separate bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon flour.
- In a medium bowl, mash the bananas and add the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla. Whisk together until well combined.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Fold through the chopped apple and walnuts.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared tin and spread evenly. Sprinkle the top with demerara sugar.
- Bake for about 55 minutes until the loaf is a lovely golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Leave to cool for at least minutes , then turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool before slicing. Store in an airtight container.
How to – Thermomix
- Preheat oven to 180C / 160C fan-forced. Grease and line a loaf tin.
- Mix flour, sugar, bicarb, cinnamon and salt in TM bowl for 5 seconds on speed 6. Set aside.
- Add the apples and chop for 2-3 seconds on speed 4. Set aside in a separate bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon flour.
- To melt the butter in the Thermomix, add the butter and melt for 2 minutes at 60 degrees on speed 2. Allow to cool slightly.
- Add the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla and mix for 5 seconds on speed 4.
- Add the bananas and chop for 2-3 seconds on speed 4.
- Add the flour mix and combine for 10 seconds on speed 5.
- Add the chopped apple and walnuts and mix for 15 seconds on reverse speed 3.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared tin and spread evenly. Sprinkle the top with demerara sugar.
- Bake for about 55 minutes until the loaf is a lovely golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Leave to cool for at least minutes , then turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool before slicing. Store in an airtight container.
