Banana Bread

Remember when I briefly mentioned about my obsession with Nigella Lawson and said that I would talk about it another time, well here goes.

I pretty much spent my primary school days relishing in  “Yan Can Cook” and those foodie shows that Channel 5 used to air. This was all before I was exposed to the wonders of Travel & Living and Food Network Asia etc. But anyway, I remember watching my first Nigella show i.e. Nigella Bites, and the way the description of her food rolled off her tongue so effortlessly, accompanied by that perpetual sizzling of butter and bacon in her frying pan… Heck yes, I thought to myself, “This woman means business”. That marked the start and no end to my Nigella obsession – following series after series, watching episodes repeatedly, furiously flipping through her cookbooks, aspiring to be a “Domestic Goddess”, and recently, following her on twitter (true blue stalker).

Of course, she’s known for her food porn and the way she describes her food. I cannot imagine how anyone’s choice of words can make food come to life e.g. look at that salmon blushing in all its glorious coral hue. Amazing. People dream of meeting movie stars, I dream of meeting Nigella Lawson.

I’ve tried a few of her recipes, which have turned out pretty sweet. Of course, she uses a copious amount of butter in her cooking which really pays off in the taste test. With blackened bananas in sight (you must be thinking, “again???”), and a new Nigella book in hand, I got down to whipping up her Banana Bread. I knew it wasn’t a mistake when my house was engulfed in the aroma of banana and the toasty smell of walnuts.

and the best part, this cake/breakfast bread comes with a little naughty twist. Rum Soaked Cranberries. We all need that occasional little hit of booze.

Recipe: Makes 1 Loaf
Adapted from Nigella Lawson’s “How to be a Domestic Goddess”

100 Grams Sultanas (I used cranberries)
75 Millilitres Dark rum (or Bourbon)
175 Grams Plain flour
2 Teaspoon Baking powder
1 Teaspoon Bicarbonate of soda
1 Teaspoon Salt
125 Grams Unsalted butter Melted
120 Grams White sugar
2 Large Eggs
3 large very ripe bananas, mashed – about 300g without skin
60 Grams Walnuts, toasted and chopped
1 Teaspoon Vanilla extract

• Put the sultanas and rum or bourbon in a smallish saucepan and bring to the boil.
• Remove from the heat, cover and leave for an hour if you can, or until the sultanas have absorbed most of the liquid, then drain.
• Preheat the oven to 170ºC/gas mark 3 and get started on the rest.
• Put the flour, baking powder, bicarb and salt in a medium-sized bowl and sift.
• In a large bowl, mix the melted butter and sugar and beat until blended.
• Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the mashed bananas.
• Then, with your wooden spoon, stir in the walnuts, drained sultanas and vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture, a third at a time, stirring well after each bit.
• Scrape into the loaf tin and bake in the middle of the oven for 50 mins – 1 hour (The edges of mine browned after 50 minutes so I covered it with aluminium foil and baked for another 10 minutes).
• When it’s ready, an inserted toothpick or fine skewer should come out clean.
• Leave in the tin on a rack to cool. Slice and serve.

And I cannot be happier because after years of borrowing this book from the library, I finally own it thanks to Aloysius. Hooray.