The other day I noticed that a bunch of bananas in the kitchen had taken on a dubious speckled appearance. "They're for the bin", I thought. You see I don't eat a huge amount of bananas as they are just a little to heavy for my delicate tummy. I can eat my own body weight in chocolate without a problem but not a banana, go figure. Mr. Boo reverts back to his 3 year old self at the sight of a blackening banana and refuses to eat them so they are generally consinged to the compost bin at the 1st signs of a freckle. This time I resolved to save them and turn them into something yummy for the one I love. That's you babes!
Right here's the recipe, enjoy!
Mini Banana Loaves
(makes 8 mini loaves or 1 x 1lb loaf)
1kg/just over 2lb's Plain Flour
approx. 6 Bananas
3 x 7g/0.25oz sachets of Dried Yeast
2tbsp Sugar
2 level tbsp Sea Salt
3tbsp of Honey, and 3tbsp for glazing
Flour for dusting
1. Place the flour into a large bowl. Make a well in the centre.
2. In a food processor, blitz the bananas until smooth and liquid. Transfer to a measuring jug and if necessary top up with water to 625ml.
3. Add half of the banana liquid to the well in the centre of the flour. Add the yeast, sugar, salt and honey and stir to incorporate. Gradually start to bring some of the flour into the mix, you will get a porridge type consistency.
4. Add the remaining liquid and continue to mix incorporating all of the flour until the dough has formed.
5. Flour your hands and knead the dough for about 5 minutes until it is nice and elastic. You can knead in the bowl if it is big enough, if not flour a work surface and transfer to that. I do it in the bowl to save me cleaning up something extra.
6. Shape the dough into a ball, flour the top (place it back in the bowl if you kneaded on a work surface) and cover the bowl with clingfilm. Place in a warm, draught free area(I always use my airing cupboard/hot press) and leave to prove for 30 minutes.
7. While the dough is proving prepare the baking tin. I have a tin with 8 compartments for mini loaves(individual mini loave tins can also be bought in packs of 2 or 4 etc.) which I oiled lightly and lined with greaseproof paper. It is sufficient to just oil the tin but I wanted the paper for presentation purposes so did both. If you don't have mini loaf tins a regular 1lb loaf tin will do fine or you could simply flour a baking sheet and shape the dough into a round and bake it on that. The possibilities are endless.
8. When the dough has doubled in size knock it back(bash it about with your hands to knock the air out).
9. Divide the dough into 8 equal portions and place them into the loaf tins or shape according to your baking tin.
10.Place the dough back into a warm draught free place and leave to prove for a further 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas Mark 5.
11.When the dough has proved brush the top with the remaining honey and place into the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
12.Serve while still warm with some butter, peanut butter or even some scrummy vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of toffee sauce. Nom nom nom!
