My love for walnuts knows no boundaries. I like keeping a jar of chopped walnuts in my kitchen and top my yoghurt with some (they are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids). When we moved to the UK I discovered an organic brand called Yeo Valley and that's the yoghurt I use now in all my recipes. By the way, they did not pay me for saying that; I will gladly support that brand on my blog. As I was baking this bread over the holidays, I realised that I had never shared the recipe on my English food blog, only the Icelandic one, which I started sooner. I got the recipe at Starbucks in Canada a few years back and I have made some changes, of course. I found it a bit interesting that they said the fat content had been reduced, yet the original recipe contained ½ cup vegetable oil, which I find way too much. The nuts are fatty enough so there is no need for all that oil (you can also use pecans). I hardly have to tell you that I have reduced the sugar content as well and added pure maple syrup, which I also love. In the original recipe it says buttermilk but usually I use natural yoghurt.
BANANA WALNUT BREAD
INGREDIENTS
METHOD
BANANA WALNUT BREAD
INGREDIENTS
- 260 g (2 cups) spelt flour (I like mixing fine and wholegrain)
- 1 tablespoon gluten free baking powder (½ if using regular)
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 100 g (½ cup) organic raw cane sugar
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup or agave syrup or organic raw cane sugar
- 1 large free-range egg
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract or organic vanilla sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons organic natural yoghurt or buttermilk
- 3 large bananas or 4 small (the original recipe says ripe)
- ½ cup chopped walnuts + 1 handful to top the batter
METHOD
- Blend together the spelt flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside
- In another bowl, mix together the egg, sugar, syrup and coconut oil
- Add the flour mixture and gently mix with a spatula (don't worry if it looks a bit dry)
- Mash the bananas and add them to the mixture with the vanilla extract and yoghurt/buttermilk
- Fold in the ½ cup chopped walnuts
- Line a loaf tin with parchment paper and pour the batter into it
- Top with a handful of chopped walnuts (the original recipe says ⅓ cup but I find it too much)
- Bake at 175°C/325°C/gas mark 3 for 50-60 minutes (if you stick a fork into the centre and it comes out clean your bread is ready)
- Allow to cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes before removing from the loaf tin