Banana Bread

I have, on occasion, made a great recipe and lose it.  It is horrible to make something so good and not be able to make it again because I can't for the life of me follow the convoluted way that took me to the recipe.  So I am going to attempt again to start storing my recipes that I make or use and store them in a place that I can easily find.  

This recipe was found via the comments section at the front of the April issue of Canadian Living.  The comments section was filled with rave review of The Ultimate Banana Bread, so I had to try it.  It turned out beautifully crunchy on the outside but soft and tender on the inside.  I did add the chocolate chips because why would you leave them out, so delicious.  

I made this and it was so good that it didn't last long enough to get pictures.  I will post some pictures when I make it again. 

The Ultimate Banana Bread

Recipe from Canadian Living, March 2014

3 ripe Bananas, mashed

1/2 cup Buttermilk*

1 1/2 tsp Baking Soda

2 1/4 cups AP Flour

1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1/4 tsp Salt

3/4 cup Butter, softened

1 cup packed Brown Sugar

1 Egg

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips (Optional, well, sort of :)

~Preheat oven to 350F and line a 9" x 5" loaf pan

~In a small bowl add bananas, buttermilk and baking soda and let sit for 5 minutes. *I used dried buttermilk powder and reconstituted it according to the directions since I never have buttermilk in the house and I am not one to pre plan for the things I want to bake, thusly buttermilk powder*

~In a small bowl mix together flour, baking powder and salt.  If adding chocolate chip, and why wouldn't you, this would be the time to add them to the flour mixture.

~In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar.  You can do this with a mixer or a kitchenaid but I was too lazy to haul it out of the cupboard.

~To the butter/sugar mixture add the egg, vanilla and banana mixture.  Once the wet are all combined add the flour and chocolate chip mixture and mixture until just combined.

~Pour into the prepared pan.

~Bake 60 to 70 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool in the pan 10-15 minutes and then turn out onto a rack to completely cool.

Brownies from Heaven :)

I grew up having the best brownies in the world.  I didn't know this at the time but with all the brownies out there, my mother made the best.  They are also rather weird.  I have only made them a couple times and the first time that I did make them, I ignored the "Cover when cool and set aside overnight to mature." line in the recipe.  Wow, I was shocked at how bland they tasted and I thought that was the worst thing ever since I remember these being absolutely fabulous brownies.  So the next day when I actually finished making the brownies and adding the fudgey icing and OMG it was the best thing on earth.  I decided to forgo the unsalted butter and just use saltIed butter this time since I remember it required a bit more salt so I had added a bit of crunchy salt on top of the icing to just send it over the top in greatness.

So decided to makes these delicious goodies for Monday's dinner.  I did forget that I only have 9"x9" square pan so the brownies turned out a little thinner that I like them, what I usually do is double the recipe and put it in the 11"x13" pan.  

Brownies

Recipe courtesy of my mum,

Brownies

4 oz Unsweetened Chocolate

1/4 lb (4 oz, 1/2cup) Butter

1 1/4 plus 3 tbsp Sugar

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

3 large Eggs

3/4 cup All-Purpose Flour

Fudgy Frosting

1 1/2 oz Unsweetened Chocolate, melted

1/4 cup Sugar

1/4 cup Evaporated Milk

16 Pecan halves (Optional, really optional since I believe that Brownies should not contain nuts, although these are decorative for the top and are almost tolerated.)

-Preheat oven 350. butter or line 8"x8" square pan

-In a double boiler, melt butter and chocolate, set aside for 5 minutes.

-In a bowl beat together chocolate and sugar 1-2 minutes until the mixture is completely combined.  Add vanilla, and lightly beaten eggs and mix only until combined.

-Add flour and beat until mixture is totally blended and has a shiny velvety look, 1 minute or less.

-Spread batter evenly over the prepared pan and bake 20-25 minutes.  Bake until a very thin crust forms on the top and a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.  DO NOT OVER BAKE.

-Cool in pan on rack to room temp. COVER WHEN COOL AND SET ASIDE OVERNIGHT TO MATURE *this is very important*

Frosting:

-In a blender combine the melted chocolate, sugar and evaporated milk.  Blend for 3-5 minutes until the mixture is smooth and shiny (the sound of the blender will change when the mixture is ready)

-Frost brownies with a thin layer of icing.  To serve cut into 16-2" pieces and top with pecan, if desired.

I use a bowl over a pot of simmering water instead of an actual double boiler pot.  That way there is only one dish to clean.

Here is all the chocolate and butter melted and cooling

In with the sugar. 

The eggs have been added and the mixture is almost complete, all it needs is the flour.

With only a few crumbs on the toothpick it was ready to take out of the oven at around 20 minutes.

Here is my rather thin brownie.  It is still moist and fudgy but I think I will have to pick up a 8"x8" square pan.  I have also sprinkled the top with Himalayan Pink Salt.