On the premise of making lemonade if Life gives you lemons - today I decided that if life gave me ripe bananas, I would make Banana Bread!
Life in lockdown UK made us all – apparently – rush to the kitchen to bake like mad. We apparently divided into 2 camps; those who made Sourdough bread, and those who were more inclined towards making Banana Tea Bread. Well, I can't claim that my Banana Bread making has anything to do with lockdown - I've been making it for decades, so just went right on baking, pandemic or not !
I have 2 lovely, non-stick loaf tins, so I tend to make two loaves at a time. The recipe I give you here is supplied for both one loaf or two. If you are intending to use it, I suggest you print it out, and CROSS OUT the quantities not applicable to you. You’ll avoid mixing amounts and wrecking the chemistry. We do NOT want Claggy cakes, now, do we?!
I may well have shared this form of this recipe over the years, on Facebook and maybe even on this blog, but this is an updated version and I can guarantee that it tastes very good – especially after 24 hours and with a generous spread of butter!
BANANA TEA BREAD - Roz's version
(Modified extensively from an old Good Housekeeping recipe)
|
1 loaf |
2 Loaves |
|
|
200g |
400g |
Self raising (all purpose?) flour |
|
1/4 tsp |
1/2 tsp |
Bicarbonate of Soda |
|
1/2 tsp |
1tsp |
Salt |
|
75 g |
160 g |
Butter |
|
150 g |
300 g |
Sugar (I use half and half white/Demerara) |
|
2 |
4 |
Eggs, medium, beaten |
|
225 g |
450 g |
Bananas, mashed |
|
100 g |
200g |
Nuts, chopped - OR |
|
1 cup |
2 cups |
Sultanas, soaked 30 min in tea, drained. |
(Suggestion - print out the recipe and CROSS OUT the recipe you are NOT using, to avoid mixing up quantities - or print 2 versions!)
Grease 1 or 2 loaf tins, 8½" by 4½" and line with greaseproof paper (or use non-stick tins!)
Sift together the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt.
Cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
Add the egg in a little at a time beating well after each addition.
Add the bananas and beat again.
Stir in the flour (and the nuts if desired).
(I use a food processor to mix my ingredients , but stir in sultanas by hand, to avoid them also being chopped)
Pour into the tin(s) and place in the oven at 190C (375F, mark 5) for about 1¼ hours until well risen and just firm. Test with a knife to check that centre is not sticky. A clean knife = cooked.
Turn out and cool on a wire rack. Best left (haha!) for 24 hours before serving sliced and buttered.
Every oven is different - you may need to test-cook this recipe in your own oven and adjust accordingly.
Useful websites
Temperature conversions - https://www.cookingconversions.org/oventemperatures.htm
Weight conversions - https://www.rapidtables.com/convert/weight/gram-to-ounce.html
Journal prompt
Were you inspired to cook more – or less – during Lockdown? What do you make when life gives you ripe bananas ? How do you use up food that is too ripe or somewhat stale? Recipes please – both for us and for your descendants
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