The coconut crumble topping with walnuts before going in the oven
Right now I look like a Mad Scientist Inventor. I’m standing over my laptop in the kitchen with flour on my face, in my hair and coconut in my bra. Not coconuts in my bra – I mean coconut shavings. All of this before lunch because I woke up with a burning desire to creat The Best Banana Nut Bread in the Universe. Or something close to that.
Over the years, some of the best improvisations and creations in my kitchen have been a result of acute cravings. Craving one particular taste or combination of flavours and deciding to create a recipe the way I want it.
I’m a creme de marron addict. In my local grocery store they sell an apple sauce that is 60% apple and
Banana Nut Loaf with Coconut Crumble Topping
40% creme de marron. I love the stuff. Considering that I normally put one cup of apple sauce in my banana nut loaf (for moisture)…you can probably already see where I’m going with this.
Today’s creation is a banana nut loaf with a bit of applesauce/creme de marron, walnuts and topped off with a coconut crumble.
It’s in the oven right now. Here are some pictures to start with. When it’s done, I’ll photograph the results and give you my recipe.
Cooling at the window
Update: It’s finished. Is it the best banana nut loaf in the universe? – probably not. Is it super-moist, with just the right balance of banana flavor to contrast the roasted coconut and walnut topping? Yes. Now I just need to share it with or I’ll eat the entire thing myself…
Click on the photos for a much higher quality picture with detail.
Update: I entered the Epicurious 15th Anniversary Recipe Contest! Please rate my recipe: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/50083588
Recipe
* 1/4 cup whole milk
* 2 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour (do not use self-rising flour!)
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
* 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
* 3/4 cup sugar
* 2 large eggs
* 1/2 cup applesauce/creme de marron mixture (if you do not have creme de marron, vanilla apple sauce)
* 3 very ripe medium bananas
* 3 oz walnuts, chopped (1 cup)
For the Coconut Crumble Topping
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup light brown(muscovado)sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick) of VERY cold unsalted butter,
cut into small pieces
1 cup unsweetened coconut shavings
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Grease a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan and line bottom of pan with parchment paper
Mix butter & sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer until it reaches a pale yellow &fluffy consistancy, about 90 seconds. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until combined, then beat in the mashed bananas and applesauce/creme de marron mixture.
Add the flour, baking powder, & salt and beat mixture until everything is well-integrated.
Crumble Topping:
In a food processor, combine the flour, sugar. Add the cold butter; pulse until large crumbs form, about 30 seconds.
Add the coconut shavings and walnuts: pulse the mixture just until combined.
Spread topping evenly over the loaf & bake until a wooden pick or butter knife inserted in center of bread comes out clean, about 1 hour.
Allow to cool for 30 minutes.
For the Caramel Sauce
* 190 grams (1 cup) sugar
* 60 ml (1/4 cup) water
* 8 tblsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces
* 120 ml (1/2 cup) heavy cream
* pinch of salt
Instructions
Pre-heat oven with rack at a lower-center position -you don’t want the crumble topping to burn)
Grease a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan and line bottom of pan with parchment paper
Mix butter & sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer until it reaches a pale yellow &fluffy consistancy, about 90 seconds. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until combined, then beat in the mashed bananas and applesauce/creme de marron mixture.
Add the flour, baking powder, & salt and beat mixture until everything is well-integrated.
Crumble Topping:
In a food processor, combine the flour, sugar. Add the cold butter; pulse until large crumbs form, about 30 seconds.
Add the coconut shavings and walnuts: pulse the mixture just until combined.
Spread topping evenly over the loaf & bake until a wooden pick or butter knife inserted in center of bread comes out clean, about 1 hour.
Allow to cool for 30 minutes.
For the Caramel Sauce
* 190 grams (1 cup) sugar
* 60 ml (1/4 cup) water
* 8 tblsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces
* 120 ml (1/2 cup) heavy cream
* pinch of salt
Place sugar in a small sauce pan & then pour the water evenly over the top.
Set the stove to medium-high heat. Stir the mixture occasionally until sugar has dissolved.
Cover pan, turn heat to high, and boil for 2 minutes.
Remove lid and continue to boil, stirring occasionally, until syrup turns brown around the edges of the pan.
Stir and swirl the caramel occasionally until it turns a deep amber.
Remove pan from heat and add butter. Gently whisk, until all butter is mixed in.
Allow to cool for a moment and then slowly stir in the cream.
If the cream is cold it could boil over.Serve as a dessert with the caramel sauce drizzeled on the plate (or more according to your taste)and a piece of the banana nut loaf on top of the caramel.
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