Nuts About Banana Bread
I think I have a thing for banana bread? I don't remember liking it very much as I was growing up. After making the peachy banana bread, then Chrissy Teigen's over the top banana bundt- I'm now super interested in different and wacky banana breads. Enter- sesame banana bread.
This slightly savory, nutty banana bread is really good. Maybe because it's not sickly sweet you get more of a banana flavor in this bread. Also it's frickin beautiful with the black and white sesame seeds sprinkled on the top.
This recipe made a LOT. Turns out the normal loaf pan isn't big enough. So it made a regular loaf, a small round loaf and a mini loaf. Which also means I didn't have to cut into the big loaf to test it out. Super win. I also highly recommend slathering on a pat of salted butter.
If my email doesn't convince you to make this bread, then take a look at this fun Bon Appétit video with the El Rey banana bread baker.
El Rey's Sesame Banana Bread
INGREDIENTS
⅓ cup raw white sesame seeds, divided
¼ cup raw black sesame seeds, divided
4 very ripe bananas
1¾ cups cake flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs
½ cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons tahini
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2¼ cups (lightly packed) dark brown sugar
RECIPE PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 350°. Toast 1 Tbsp. white sesame seeds and 1 Tbsp. black sesame seeds in a dry medium skillet over medium, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 5 minutes.
Blend bananas in a food processor to a smooth purée. (Or for poor folks without a food processor, I used a potato masher)
Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
Whisk eggs, oil, tahini, and vanilla in a large bowl. Whisk in brown sugar and banana purée until well blended, then whisk in dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in toasted sesame seeds.
Scrape batter into a 9x5" loaf pan and sprinkle with remaining white and black sesame seeds.
Bake bread until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 60–70 minutes.
Let cool completely in pan.
This Week's BreadList
Ever wondered why you get different kind of chopsticks at different asian restaurants? Find out the reason why here- Different Chopsticks Explained.
Can I be honest with you? We're bread friends after all. I don't know a young woman, late twenties to mid-thirties, who hasn't experienced some for of workplace harassment. From mild uncomfortableness to something much more. I appreciate this article/review of Mario Batali's non-apology sexual misconduct apology letter. Not only does the author nail the baking part of the review, but she clearly outlines why pizza dough should not be made into cinnamon rolls is a similar thought as why men have and continue to get away with bad behavior and half-assed recipes.
🍌 🍌 🍌 - Amy
