To Whom it May Concern: I'm starting this blog as a place to compile my favorite recipes. More and more I've been searching for the best recipes for my favorite foods (mostly baked goods), and I've recently had some success finding them. This scientific approach is in part due to my obsession with Alton Brown's show
Good Eats. For me, the Holy Grail of baking is brownies. I've still never found a concoction that satisfies me at that basic kid level as much as boxed mixes (Ghiardelli's being the worlds best mix, naturally). I'm getting closer though. For this first recipe though I think I'll stick to one which I can hands down say is the best of its class: Flour Bakery's Banana Bread. Banana bread is one of the best quick breads, but some recipes are too greasy and others verge on fruit cake dryness. This one though is lovely and light and very banana-y. Flour is a fab bakery in Boston, http://www.flourbakery.com/ , which is worth checking out if you are there for a meal or a treat. Here is the recipe, the trick I think is beating up the sugar and eggs. Also I use vanilla yogurt (stoneyfield organic) instead of the
creme fraiche or sour cream, and no nuts, but that's just me. Enjoy the banana bliss!
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil
3 1/2 bananas, very ripe, mashed
2 tablespoons creme fraiche or sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
Set oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of a loaf pan with parchment paper. Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Beat sugar and eggs with a whisk until light and fluffy, about 10 minutes. Drizzle in oil. Add mashed bananas, creme fraiche, and vanilla. Fold in dry ingredients and nuts. Pour into a lined loaf pan and bake for about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
This is from foodnetwork.com courtesy Chef Joanne Chang of Flour Bakery in Boston
