Bananas Gone Wild!

It's Friday everyone! Woot woot! You know I'm excited. As I was browsing my favorite recipe sites the other day, I happened upon a recipe for banana bread...this got me thinking. What other glorious recipes can be created from the original delight - banana bread. This is a super easy cake to create, which makes it a fabulous foundation for any cook to get creative! So for today's post, I found a few recipes of bananas gone rogue...and here they are.

Close to it's predecessor, the classic loaf....

Coconut and Macadamia Nut Banana Bread
Gourmet Oct 1991

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon double-acting baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest
• 1 1/3 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 large)
• 3 tablespoons sour cream
• 3/4 cup chopped macadamia nuts
• 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut, toasted lightly and cooled

Directions

1. Into a bowl sift together the flour, the baking powder, the baking soda, and the salt. In a large bowl with an electric mixer cream the butter with the sugars until the mixture is light and fluffy and beat in the vanilla, the eggs, 1 at at time, the zest, the banana, and the sour cream. 
2. Add the flour mixture, beat the batter until it is just combined, and stir in the macadamia nuts and the coconut. 
3. Divide the batter among 5 well-buttered and floured 5 3/4- by 3 1/4-inch loaf pans and bake the breads in the middle of a preheated 350°F. oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Remove the breads from the pans and let them cool, right sides up, on a rack.

Those crazy bananas!

Banana-Bread-and-Butter Pudding

Heather Ho

Ingredients

• One 1/2-pound brioche, crust removed, cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 6 cups)
• 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, 4 tablespoons melted
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 1/3 cups heavy cream
• Pinch of salt
• 4 large ripe bananas, 2 thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup milk
• 5 large egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Lightly butter eight 4 1/2-by-2-inch ramekins. In a large bowl, toss the brioche with the melted butter. Spread the brioche on a large baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden and crisp.
2. Meanwhile, in a small heavy saucepan, combine 3/4 cup of the sugar with the corn syrup and water; cook over moderate heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Boil the syrup without stirring until a deep amber caramel forms, about 7 minutes. Remove the caramel from the heat and carefully stir in 1/3 cup of the cream, the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter and the salt. Immediately pour 2 tablespoons of the caramel into each of the prepared ramekins and set them in a large roasting pan. Arrange the sliced bananas decoratively in the caramel.
3. In a large bowl, mash the remaining 2 bananas until smooth. Whisk in the milk, egg yolks, the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar, the vanilla and the remaining 1 cup of heavy cream until smooth. Fold in the toasted brioche and let stand, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is completely absorbed, about 20 minutes.
4. Spoon the bread mixture into the ramekins and smooth the surfaces. Pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake the puddings in the water bath for 35 minutes, or until firm and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the ramekins from the water bath and let cool slightly.
5. To unmold, run a knife around the puddings. Top each with a plate. Invert the plates and lift off the ramekins. Pour any remaining caramel around the puddings. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream.

MAKE AHEAD The baked puddings can be wrapped tightly with foil and refrigerated overnight. Rewarm, covered, in a 325° oven for about 15 minutes before unmolding.

Use your imagination...you can do so much more!

Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips and Walnuts

Marsha Klein, Barrington, RI

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup walnuts, toasted, chopped
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 9x5x2 1/2-inch metal loaf pan. Whisk first 4 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Combine chocolate chips and walnuts in small bowl; add 1 tablespoon flour mixture and toss to coat.
2. Beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Gradually add sugar, beating until well blended. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Beat in mashed bananas, lemon juice and vanilla extract. Beat in flour mixture. Spoon 1/3 of batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle with half of nut mixture. Spoon 1/3 of batter over. Sprinkle with remaining nut mixture. Cover with remaining batter. Run knife through batter in zigzag pattern.
3. Bake bread until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour 5 minutes. Turn out onto rack and cool.

Happy baking!