Saturday 28 January 2012

Hannah's Banana bread


Remember I said I bought spelt flour specifically for a recipe but ended up making honey and spelt cake and then spelt and buttermilk pancakes instead? Well this is the recipe that I had in mind when I first bought the spelt flour - Hannah's Banana Bread. I'm really pleased to be sharing it with you now as this is the best banana bread I've made and I've made quite a few banana breads in my time!

I am entering this to January's Tea Time Treats, hosted this month by Karen from Lavender and Lovage and co-hosted by Kate from What Kate Baked. The theme this month is Sweet Pastries and Breads so I thought it would be a great addition to the table.



Back in October, I won a copy of Leon Baking & Puddings Book 3 from a giveaway hosted by Ren from Fabulicious Food - thank you again! She recommended this recipe and it's taken me a few months to get to it but trust me the wait is worth it. You can read her review of the book here.


Karen from Lavender and Lovage who is the lovely host of Tea Time Treats has also baked this bread and written a review of the same book which you can read here. Coincidentally, her daughter's name is Hannah. According to Henry Dimbleby, "Some time ago people started leaving wishes on pieces of paper in a drawer in the Ludgate Circus branch of Leon. We celebrated this by granting the wishes of people who came to one of our parties.  Hannah's wish was to have a cake named after her hence the name" I think I will be leaving wishes at branches of Leon that I visit from now :)

Back to the banana bread. It's the first recipe I tried from the book and it's a huge success.  This is my 3rd time baking with spelt flour and I'm loving it.  It has a grainy, nutty texture which complements the bananas and pecans.  The yoghurt and oil makes it wonderfully moist and I really like the sliced banana on top sprinkled with sugar (it's supposed to sink but mine didn't!) This actually tasted much better the next day - an accidental finding as I was rushing to work and left it behind so it had to be eaten the next day. 

 


 egg mixture at the back, banana mixture in the front

 sprinkle sugar on top for a lovely caramelised top (you can leave out the sugar if you wish)

 I thought it was going to spill over when it first came out of the oven but it sunk a little on cooling. 


 moist and delicious!

Recipe from Leon Baking & Pudding Book 3 by Claire Ptak and Henry Dimbleby which is published by Conran Octopus - reproduced with permission from Octopus Publishing Group

50g pecan nuts
150ml vegetable oil
200g dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 free range eggs
350g ripe skinned bananas (about 3-4 depending on size of banana)
75g natural yoghurt
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
225g wholemeal spelt flour
1 banana, peeled and 3 tablespoons caster sugar for the top


  • Preheat the oven to 170C.
  • Butter a 900g/2lb loaf tin and line with baking paper. Line a baking sheet with baking paper as well. 
  • Spread the pecans out over the lined baking sheet and toast them in the oven for about 5-7 minutes, or until lightly golden and fragrant. Set aside to cool.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, dark brown sugar, vanilla and eggs. 
  • In a separate bowl, roughly mash up the bananas. Add the yoghurt and mix well.
  • Sift the bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and cinnamon over the yoghurt mixture, add the salt and stir well to combine. 
  • Now add the banana mixture to the egg mixture and stir to combine. 
  • Chop the pecans into small pieces and add them with the flour, stirring until just incorporated. (NOTE : do not over mix the batter) 
  • Spoon the mixture into the prepared loaf tin.
  • Carefully slice the remaining banana in half lengthwise.  Place one half, cut side up, on top of the bread and sprinkle with the caster sugar (I put both slices as I was too full to eat the other half as suggested and didn't want to waste it!)
  • Bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes, or until the bread is springy to the touch and a skewer inserted comes out clean.
  • Cool in the tin for at least 10 minutes before turning it out on to a wire rack to cool. 


48 comments:

  1. This does look like a very delicious bread!

    ReplyDelete
  2. This looks so delicious and moist!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Now that I'm looking at this on a big screen, rather than on my phone at 1.35am, it looks even more AMAZING! I love how the banana looks on the top. I'd struggle to get mine to look like that. The wholemeal spelt it a great find, I think I used regular spelt for mine...Still, it looks really delicious. Thank you for the lovely mention and this is a great addition to Karen and Kate's Tea Time Treats table! Yum yum, off to gather ingredients...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks again for the wonderful book - so many happy hours of reading and drooling! I'm definitely making this again and again.

      Delete
  4. I've never tried spelt bread but I do love bread with a texture and I love nuts and I love bananas... I'm really hungry now! :p I really like the cover to your cookbook too, I might just have to go check it out :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's a really good book - highly recommend it. Lovely pictures which is what I tend to look for :) I hope you get to try this bread, it's really good and tastes healthy too! :)

      Delete
  5. I've never tried spelt flour before but it sounds perfect for a banana bread. The caramelised topping sounds amazing too. When I read that it was your best banana bread I thought WOW to myself as I know how much you love banana!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Jo :) I do like my bananas and I have another one coming up soon. Seriously do try this if you can and I promise you won't regret it - otherwise I'd eat it for you ;-)

      Delete
  6. Hahhaha you using spelt flour again :) I love how you've put bananas on top it looks fantastic! I have a soft spot for banana bread hehe :) YUMMY!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm on a spelt flour phase :) well I don't want to waste the flour! I like the bananas on top too - why didnt I think of that before? ;-)

      Delete
  7. A great looking banana loaf! I'm loving all your spelt recipes.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thanks! I'll have to find a few more as I still have spelt flour in the cupboard.

      Delete
  8. Love the way a whole banana runs along the top - what an advertisement for the yumminess inside!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was wondering why I didn't think of it myself earlier. That's why Leon has restaurants and cookbooks! :)

      Delete
  9. I really love how you have the two bananas on the top, never seen that before. Looks yummy.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I really like the banana on top too especially after its been caramelised ... yum!

      Delete
  10. If ever I meet my mates I always request to meet at Leon. I would live at their restaurants if they'd let me! What a great entry for Tea Time Treats- thank you ever so much!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Leon is great! So pleased I could join in tea time treats this month - almost didn't! Look forward to Feb when its your turn :)

      Delete
  11. Banana Bread is one of my FAVOURITE things to eat in the world!
    Looks delicious!

    ReplyDelete
  12. When I first saw this post I thought it was going to be a Banana Bread post featuring Hannah Glasse, lol...I'm delighted to see it isn't because I just LOVE when you go all "spelty." I must learn more about Spelt flour now more than ever because gosh oh gee that Banana Bread sounds awesome!

    Thanks for sharing, Ros...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LOL it was named after a customer but anyone named Hannah can claim it was named after them I suppose ;) I am a new convert to spelt flour :)

      Delete
  13. It's one good lookin' bread! I bet it smells divine when baking. Yum!

    ReplyDelete
  14. That's quite an accolade...the best banana bread ever!I like the way you can see the sliced banana on top! I also have the Leon book, it all looks so nice.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know but it really was soooo good. The book is fantastic - have you made anything from it?

      Delete
  15. I like the way you bake your banana "split" bread. Good to know that this book is great and I might want to shop for this book too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks and yes would definitely recommend the book.

      Delete
  16. AH another convert to this wonderful Banana Bread! What a LOVELY entry into the Tea Time Treats challenge and thanks for your kind words too! I LOVE your photos and the cake looks "spiffing" darlink!
    I am still enjoying that Leon book several months after receiving it, and I am glad to see that Hannah's Banana Bread lives on!
    Karen

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for stopping by Karen - this was a really good banana bread and the book is brilliant too! Look forward to next month's tea time treats :)

      Delete
  17. I love the banana running along the top too - so cool! You know the author of the Leon cookbook owns Violet bakery in East London? Have you ever been there before? My friend brought me some brownies from it and they were amazing!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Really? I've been to violet bakery but didnt know the owners and now I do :)

      Delete
  18. That looks amazing! And I have a copy of the Leon book on the review pile. As soon as I get back to my kitchen .....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! It's a really good book, would be interested to know what you think.

      Delete
  19. I love that there are whole bananas in there! And now banana prices are down so I can make banana cakes galore! :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Me too! I still havent tried your banana jam yet :)

      Delete
  20. I love banana bread, this one looks delicious. I also love the whole bananas on top, it give a great look to the bread.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks,I love banana bread too and this was really delicious :)

      Delete
  21. That really is a handsome looking banana bread. I never tire of it and always like to try out a new recipe for it......this one is absolutely next on the list!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! I'm sure my banana bread likes being called handsome :) I love banana breads and never tire of them either. I hope you will try this and that you will enjoy it as much as I have :)

      Delete
  22. I love the split banana on top of this! Looks delicious!

    ReplyDelete
  23. After 2 mindblowing banana breads this has now become my go-to recipe for making it. My housemates love it!

    ReplyDelete
  24. This recipe is delicious and I have now made it countless times thanks

    ReplyDelete
  25. You've done such an amazing job, this bread looks fantastic!

    ReplyDelete

I've had to turn word verification back on as I've had a lot of problem with spam lately, Apologies! Please, please do leave a comment - I appreciate every one of them and will reply to all of them. Thanks!