What to do with some ageing bananas? Why, Banana Bread, of course!

I'll tell you what, I reckon that for every banana I've ever bought, there have been at least one or two that have lingered on in the fruit bowl, until being heaved into the bin.

This is because of several factors.

The first is that, although I like bananas, I also know that son & heir and hubby also enjoy bananas - so I don't eat them because I can eat other things like oranges (which they don't enjoy so much).

The second is that as soon as a banana shows the slightest blemish on its skin, son & heir won't touch it as he's convinced the blemish goes right through to the fruit.  I don't know how many times we've demonstrated that this is not the case, but he still won't touch a banana that has even tiny black spots.

Lastly, hubby reckons that I'm hosting a retirement home for aged and infirm bananas, in which they can moulder away in peace.

Now bananas have taken on a new importance in our house since hubby has been diagnosed with diabetes.  They are a good "emergency breakfast" for him, in circumstances where true breakfast might be a few hours away.  Being portable, they are perfect for grabbing on the run and eating when on the move.

This is why they are now appearing with more regularity in the Rest Home (a.k.a. the fruit bowl).

I hate to lose a good banana, although I can't eat them when they are very old and winey as they have a habit of repeating on me for the remainder of the day.  This has then, of necessity, meant that I have needed to investigate ways of making use of our elderly yellow friends.

I mentioned making Banana Bread to hubby some months ago, but the bananas then deteriorated so rapidly that they had to be virtually poured into the bin.  This time, when two vaguely mangy-looking fruit appeared to be languishing in the fruit bowl, he struck - and made Banana Bread.

The recipe is his very own, in that he did some research beforehand and the end recipe is an amalgamation of little bits of other recipes.  You could say that he's taken other recipe authors' advice, and come up with a recipe of his own.

Either way, I've got to say that this Banana Bread was extremely yummy!  Quite fine textured, it has a lovely strong banana flavour that leaves you in no doubt as to its main ingredient.  The end result is almost as soft as a sponge cake, but is definitely robust enough to sustain a little butter being spread across it, or accompanying some custard as a dessert.

He'll have to watch out, or I'll be hiding bananas away with the intent of not eating them before planting them in the fruit bowl - all ready for conversion to Banana Bread!

Oh, and because all his best recipes he claims to have been "made with love", his recipe is written so that you, too, can make your Banana Bread for your family "with love".  I take no responsibility for the terms in which it is couched.  *chuckle*

BANANA BREAD 

Ingredients :

3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed

75g melted butter

200g granulated sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp ground mixed spice
1 tsp baking powder
a pinch of salt
200g of plain flour.

For dusting :

1 tsp Cinnamon powder mixed into 4 tsp caster sugar.

Method :

1.  In a large bowl, mingle the melted butter and the mashed bananas.

2.  Amalgamate the mixture with sugar, egg, mixed spice and vanilla extract before wafting in the baking soda and the salt.

3.  Finally, with a smile on your face, a contented sigh and using a wooden spoon, massage the sieved flour into the gloop before dolloping into a well buttered but neat little 8 by 4 inch loaf tin.

4.  Thrust into an oven, pre-heated to 350f (175c), and bake for one hour.

5.  Poof the top with the cinnamon sugar and leave to cool on a wire rack.

Demonstrating a very well poofed top.  Oh yes.

(I particularly enjoyed the "poofing" of the cinnamon sugar - Jenny E.)

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By son & heir's request : Walnut & Banana Muffins

Hubby has started a new short-term contract and so is working during the week.  This means, as our son quickly deduced, that he won't be at home to make cakes, buns, bagels or bread -  all of which appeal greatly to son and heir when he returns home from school.

Hence, in desperation at the idea of a week with no home-baked goodies to return from school to, he asked me whether I'd be able to make some muffins "or something".

I had anticipated a request such as this and had stocked up the baking supplies cupboard already.  Hence, I had a number of goodies like dessicated coconut, semi-dried apricots, chocolate chips and walnuts, just waiting to be used.

However, sitting on the kitchen's side windowsill were two OAP bananas.  They had two options - inclusion in some form of baking, or being pensioned off to the great bin in the corner.  As I'm sure you know, I hate throwing anything away, so it was a foregone conclusion that those bananas were right up there on the ingredients list.

I've used bananas in muffins in the past, as they provide a great base for flavours.  However, you have to be careful about what flavour you match them with as they can be somewhat overpowering in their advanced OAP stage.

Now I'd just read something about how walnuts have been favoured in France for their anti-inflammatory effect, and was quite keen to make use of the walnuts I had in the cupboard.  The condition that afflicts me - Polymyalgia Rheumatica - is one where the veins & arteries become inflamed, so you can probably understand my interest!

There was an added benefit to making walnut & banana muffins, which is that I am very aware of hubby's diabetes and so any sweet cakes we make are required to be low in sugar.  Owing to the intense sweetness of the bananas, I felt sure I would be able to reduce the sugar content - and indeed I was right.

All of which serves as explanation as to why the Walnut & Banana Muffins were settled upon.

The end result was a type of muffin that isn't best eaten as is, but is quite gorgeous when halved and spread with a little butter.  They have that lovely sweet/savoury thing going on, which made them perfect for their function - a little bit of loveliness to go with a glass of milk (or a cup of tea!) after school.

WALNUT & BANANA MUFFINS (makes 10-12)

Ingredients :

2 large overripe bananas, mashed

a quarter of a cup of granulated sugar

1 slightly beaten egg

one third of a cup of melted butter

100ml milk

half a tsp ground cinnamon

half a tsp baking powder

quarter of a tsp salt

one and a half cups self-raising flour

half a cup of chopped walnuts

Method :

1.  Pre-heat oven to 180deg C.

2.  In a large bowl or a Kenwood Chef type of mixer, mix the mashed banana, sugar, egg, butter and milk lightly until combined.

3.  Add the baking powder, cinnamon, salt and flour and mix again until just combined.

4.  Add the walnuts and give it a final mix.  Try not to overdo the mixing, or the muffins will toughen.

5.  Pour into silicone muffin moulds (or greased muffin tins) and bake for 30-35 mins or until a cocktail stick comes out clean.

6.  Put on a cooling rack and get the kettle on.

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