“If you can, try and use slightly overripe bananas for this banana loaf recipe as they’ll give you a treacly, caramelly intensity that works so well. The chocolate butter is painfully enjoyable, but my nutritionist, Laura, has requested that I suggest just having a smidgen with a slice of the loaf, so I’m sure you’ll all respect her wishes when tucking into this delight. ”
Ingredients
- 100 g shelled walnuts
- 5-6 ripe bananas , (500g)
- 125 g unsalted butter , (at room temperature)
- 125 g dark brown sugar
- 2 large free-range eggs
- 200 g plain flour
- 2 level teaspoons baking powder
- 1 level teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 1 level teaspoon ground cinnamon
- olive oil
- CHOCOLATE BUTTER
- 100 g quality cooking chocolate (70%)
- 2 oranges
- 150 g unsalted butter , (at room temperature)
- 80 g icing sugar
Method
- Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/gas 3.
- Spread the walnuts out on a baking tray and toast gently in the oven for 5 minutes, or until they smell fantastic.
- Meanwhile, quickly peel and mash up the bananas, so you’ve got a mixture of smooth and chunky.
- Cream the butter and sugar together in a food processor (or by hand), until smooth and pale. Beat in the eggs one by one, scraping the sides as you go so everything gets mixed together, then spoon into a large bowl.
- Tip the toasted walnuts onto a board, then quickly run a knife through them, leaving some halved and others fairly fine so you get a good range of textures.
- Add the mashed bananas and chopped walnuts to the bowl, then sift in the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon and a pinch of sea salt. Mix to a smooth batter.
- Tear off 1 metre of greaseproof paper, scrunch it and wet under a tap. Drizzle a little olive oil over both sides and rub that in, then push the scrunched greaseproof into a 1-litre loaf tin, getting it right down into the corners (it’s ok if it’s a bit scruffy).
- Transfer the batter to the prepared tin and cook on the middle shelf in the oven for 1 hour, or until cooked through. To test if it’s cooked, poke a skewer into the middle – if it comes out clean, it’s done, if not cook for another few minutes.
- While the loaf bakes, make the chocolate butter. Snap the chocolate into a heatproof bowl and melt slowly over a pan of gently simmering hot water.
- Once melted, remove from the heat, and finely grate in the orange zest. Stir to combine, then leave to cool slightly.
- Cream the butter and icing sugar together, then beat in the cooled chocolate. Once you’ve got a nice even mixture, transfer it to a little pot or a cute butter dish and sprinkle on a tiny pinch of sea salt from a height to give it a little salty kick.
- Either put in the fridge to set for a few hours, or serve right away spread on a slice of warm banana loaf. Keep any leftover chocolate butter in a jar in the fridge for another day, and just take it out of the fridge to soften before serving.
Source: Jamie Oliver
