Banana walnut bread

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

• 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

1. Blend together the spelt flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside
2. In another bowl, mix together the egg, sugar, syrup and coconut oil
3. Add the flour mixture and gently mix with a spatula (don't worry if it looks a bit dry)
4. Mash the bananas and add them to the mixture with the vanilla extract and yoghurt/buttermilk
5. Fold in the ½ cup chopped walnuts
6. Line a loaf tin with parchment paper and pour the batter into it
7. Top with a handful of chopped walnuts (the original recipe says ⅓ cup but I find it too much)
8. 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)
9. Allow to cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes before removing from the loaf tin

Chocolate frosting or sauce

One of the most viewed recipes on the blog is my chocolate tray bake and for quite some time I have been meaning to share a chocolate frosting that I now use when serving the cake. I use the same recipe to make a chocolate sauce that I sometimes serve with the meringue tops that I also posted today. When making the sauce I add a bit more water (you can use the sauce on ice cream as well). Just make sure you prepare the frosting/sauce about one hour before serving.

CHOCOLATE FROSTING OR SAUCE

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tablespoons cocoa powder, preferable organic/fair-trade
• 1½ tablespoons organic raw cane sugar
• 2½ tablespoons agave nectar
• 3-3½ tablespoons water (4½-5 tbsp = about 75 ml if making chocolate sauce)
• a small piece organic dark chocolate or milk chocolate (about 20 g)
• optional: pinch of sea salt, fine

METHOD

1. Put all the ingredients into a small pan or saucepan
2. Bring to the boil over medium heat, stirring gently. Then remove from heat
3. Pour the chocolate frosting/sauce into a bowl and let it sit for about one hour before serving

Meringue tops (chocolate)

© Lisa Stefan | Books & Latte

Please find the meringue tops (with chocolate and chocolate sauce) recipe on my blog Books & Latte (follow the link).